tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53822993653945872212024-03-05T19:49:39.303-08:00Round the World in 80 WaysIn the Beginning God created the World..... and I want to see some of it
A journey in loving memory of our dear little Kate who died aged 12 on 8th November 1998.strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-81922574176150506542012-06-28T10:11:00.001-07:002012-06-28T10:11:42.163-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">27th June 2012 to 28th June 2012</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday, 27th June 2012 </span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We packed the bikes and left Everest and his entourage and headed north. Our mission today was to reach the town of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berat" target="_blank">Berat</a> by continuing along the secondary old road. Everthing was fine until we got to Kelcyre and took the wrong turn and ended up on the main highway. We decided to turn back and rode the 18 kilometres or so back to Kelcyre and found the old Berat road. It started off as quite a bad ashpalt road which got worse the further we rode until it all ended with a three way split into three different dirt roads.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3EqrrknByNE8QLzJ4QOGCokPLaRN1mzeTod177fyZVj55TWscacLgcoyaBdANddbneCRDr3HICCpkB1Hm8Khfk1u7f6ZltfX32D9JBXup6tvdg-9nY3bMOeoaUvz-idyH-PVzpC0hg/s1600/Albania1+033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL3EqrrknByNE8QLzJ4QOGCokPLaRN1mzeTod177fyZVj55TWscacLgcoyaBdANddbneCRDr3HICCpkB1Hm8Khfk1u7f6ZltfX32D9JBXup6tvdg-9nY3bMOeoaUvz-idyH-PVzpC0hg/s400/Albania1+033.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Road splits 3 ways !!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We hooked left and so began 70 kilometres of probably the worst rubble we have ever ridden. It took us neartly 7 hours to reach Berat and most of the way in first and second gear. We were covered in white dust but we nade it through without dropping the bikes despite several occasions when we thought we had lost the front end - we deserved a beer. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk0-75xiOev30MFIVr3DFXY7-PPq4PFZy75pQFQvbiXLArwwKAV7CoL8nELgap7eA8BuqsoVK4prlHR_LeWfYrp8TVEBaSQ_gcjChzxa-YjN2G3Cg_9wRApBIA9u4ppMzAcwkhfJV6w/s1600/Albania1+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzk0-75xiOev30MFIVr3DFXY7-PPq4PFZy75pQFQvbiXLArwwKAV7CoL8nELgap7eA8BuqsoVK4prlHR_LeWfYrp8TVEBaSQ_gcjChzxa-YjN2G3Cg_9wRApBIA9u4ppMzAcwkhfJV6w/s400/Albania1+036.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Albanian views</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The first hotel we stopped at had no rooms so we took a look along the main part of town, We spotted some flags up a side road and my sat nav picked out bthe Hotel Mangalem - rooms available so we had ouir beer, booked in for two days and had a very welcome shower.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfs3k9V5FRPQ_2VNY-gePNIxRwGw0btI7I5qnJLaNZAPSfIVNylHtr3VOW6Cz5200JDY45E-zMK67RorGHvINRO-T97GFWFnRBLWA3-leIN7iVaBu7ljq4OQjqtpqAS6Crigmg57BnA/s1600/Albania1+040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYfs3k9V5FRPQ_2VNY-gePNIxRwGw0btI7I5qnJLaNZAPSfIVNylHtr3VOW6Cz5200JDY45E-zMK67RorGHvINRO-T97GFWFnRBLWA3-leIN7iVaBu7ljq4OQjqtpqAS6Crigmg57BnA/s400/Albania1+040.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hotel Mangalem</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We ate on the veranda and fell into bed at the outrageously early hour of 9.30 still aching from the days ride.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thursday 28th June 2012</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As our hotel was on the road leading up to the citadel we decided to take a hike up there but not before getting some colour copies of my V5 registration document printed from a PDF file on my computer. They may work at the border - I hope so because that's all I have !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It was very hot as we set off up the slippery cobbled slope to the citadel - crikey it was a long hot walk upto the top but we were rewarded with excellent view across Berat and we also managed to find a shady spot in a cafe and have some iced tea.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpqh2bWpk88pkY3OsC3XaRmNNPS6POiRJ4JtCN806noMoxuaP-xLBVQAxSgXktYGklxRaq3vfKaPH2qNIT2sNC_i7c1g2-jbjREQxoPxPHp-Zmi3BiGQfskbYxfWsxV0mDA4_3FzSFA/s1600/Albania1+049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpqh2bWpk88pkY3OsC3XaRmNNPS6POiRJ4JtCN806noMoxuaP-xLBVQAxSgXktYGklxRaq3vfKaPH2qNIT2sNC_i7c1g2-jbjREQxoPxPHp-Zmi3BiGQfskbYxfWsxV0mDA4_3FzSFA/s400/Albania1+049.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Part of the walk up the hill</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaHseakDhF_mul7ZrUMa5YbCnmm_uC1AOCMOMcbvW_V4U2XkyZ7sTsJE1d7qjiW7FHaWGOgRhpcq4Z152YhqypAgLeNzDg8doho3e4jjqpaPIUILn0p43Vtt8IFAqJhWxXPlDm83upA/s1600/Albania1+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMaHseakDhF_mul7ZrUMa5YbCnmm_uC1AOCMOMcbvW_V4U2XkyZ7sTsJE1d7qjiW7FHaWGOgRhpcq4Z152YhqypAgLeNzDg8doho3e4jjqpaPIUILn0p43Vtt8IFAqJhWxXPlDm83upA/s400/Albania1+054.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Kala - hilltop citadel</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DcYsVupfs_eHxeJin6azaPEyqHqLcbBfQlnBHy_36zG9M-oXMLVBcnIvYp_vU-Rfqnmuqxx9au_QMC40VFUKpi_eJ2jQffVJrfKj5SxBFGBgBRFYM-iwk9pAT-AuliUzjTW7tvPbEg/s1600/Albania1+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DcYsVupfs_eHxeJin6azaPEyqHqLcbBfQlnBHy_36zG9M-oXMLVBcnIvYp_vU-Rfqnmuqxx9au_QMC40VFUKpi_eJ2jQffVJrfKj5SxBFGBgBRFYM-iwk9pAT-AuliUzjTW7tvPbEg/s400/Albania1+056.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small streets within the citadel</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2zXhF4Y5F_y6_1_ZAC4PG-FtsEP4C7qeLCzOd3j_bHjkrcHXVF_GPB72HiT4BI83u42sUjQ67tgWuscijQVVsrSQu-6yWNOy84InxaT4k_BxDbd5bsqvpPBMytoa4QV512zdvgQAEg/s1600/Albania1+069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT2zXhF4Y5F_y6_1_ZAC4PG-FtsEP4C7qeLCzOd3j_bHjkrcHXVF_GPB72HiT4BI83u42sUjQ67tgWuscijQVVsrSQu-6yWNOy84InxaT4k_BxDbd5bsqvpPBMytoa4QV512zdvgQAEg/s400/Albania1+069.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views of Mt. Tomorri in the distance</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">The walk back down wasn't much easier on the cobbles and we began to realise that we were foolhardy enough to attempt this midday sun walk without the benefit of sun cream or hats - we will pay for this mistake later I am sure.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-14163116454292511862012-06-28T09:21:00.001-07:002012-06-28T10:18:09.452-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">24th June 2012 to 26th June 2012</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I have not written up this blog for 5 days so it;s time to catch up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Sunday 24th June 2012</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We retrieved our bikes from the underground car park at the Hotel Famissi in Meteora and set off along a whole host of very small back roads which eventually spat us out onto the main road near the small town of Neapoli. We followed the main route 20 which is itself a very nice twisty mountain road with not much traffic and we eventually found our way through a network of valley roads to the small village of Monodendri near the large town of Konitsa. The hotel Archontiko Zarkada was easy to find and when we were shown our rooms we decided to stay for two days. We had an excellent room with an ante room complete with sofa - all very nice. We had a beer on the veranda and watched the rain and hail pour down during a 15 minute thunderstorm and said that we were lucky to have arrived when we did or we would have had a soaking, but it soon cleared and the blue skies were back again in no time.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We showered and went to eat and found that the outside television projector was being set up especially so that we could watch the England Italy Euro 2012 quarter final game. We had a nice meal of Greek salad followed by grilled lamb before settling down to watch the game (started at 9,45pm because we were two hours different to UK). What a miserable game - we were joined by a coachload of Israelis (strange bunch) on holiday most of whom went to bed before half time and the remainder long before full time but even we gave up at extra time and had to get our sleep.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Monday 25th June 2012</span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Hot and sunny again - this is getting boring !</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We chose to walk out a little and see the monastery at the beginning of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vikos_Gorge" target="_blank">Vikos Gorge</a> and took some pictures. The walk there in the searing heat was uphill and seemed to take forever but the views were worth it. After all that exercise the only thing we could possibly do was have a few beers in the bar and I spent the afternoon mending my broken boots and sewing my ripped riding trousers - what an exciting day - even better I let Mark loose with a razor on my hair - aaaarrrrghhhh , it's very very short now and I look like a criminal (but at least it is cooler )</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday 26th June 2012</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We left Monodendri and doubled back up into the mountains and came out near the large town of Konitsa. We turned north towards Kastoria and my map showed a small mountain road just a kilometre from the small town of Plagia, What a wonderful road it was too. As with a lot of Greek mountain roads we took time to dodge the snakes and tortoises crossing in front of the bikes and every so often we would come across small icons at the roadside,</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszz4AaBH3wCoeEvTVT_O21lSIhemZUa1M6-PS43F2MtQZH7R3wvMKw897H9vINkLbrIgWNCWe3gx2As7O52sEkEYFz2gwPo7JI2Xpk63Xt7ngxL0sPIr3D29FuIvK3mJbYsW9HiHXKA/s1600/Albania1+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszz4AaBH3wCoeEvTVT_O21lSIhemZUa1M6-PS43F2MtQZH7R3wvMKw897H9vINkLbrIgWNCWe3gx2As7O52sEkEYFz2gwPo7JI2Xpk63Xt7ngxL0sPIr3D29FuIvK3mJbYsW9HiHXKA/s320/Albania1+004.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Icon at roadside high in the mountains</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">The small road twisted and turned upwards through pine forests and not a single bit of traffic save for a fire truck patrolling the area in case of forest fires.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E6rFWqfUlJpZE9A-q88QNNtOLxUgo-o0l9TSTVCMXUm36jZVqNBtwj9Rn8cx8FZZti_8FloQ4YafHPbXHhiUEBvzgFIrN6bFwjKbrFv3NZfxwXuhXCfsQ_t6mJm2r1A70uSyPAqfOA/s1600/Albania1+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6E6rFWqfUlJpZE9A-q88QNNtOLxUgo-o0l9TSTVCMXUm36jZVqNBtwj9Rn8cx8FZZti_8FloQ4YafHPbXHhiUEBvzgFIrN6bFwjKbrFv3NZfxwXuhXCfsQ_t6mJm2r1A70uSyPAqfOA/s400/Albania1+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sheer bliss</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9_Z2fVMn0WT6_vL2g7vRWwkgOTGdByiaD6mKlaGSyrjcu2fCtaph1dtJcRIhsBNZU2oQhnwsFWShFmUHtuKus9PEnUf5Z00sIsZKp-d_EgetGX0s42IBYO2nN1dGwsFUjLW1sanQtQ/s1600/Albania1+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI9_Z2fVMn0WT6_vL2g7vRWwkgOTGdByiaD6mKlaGSyrjcu2fCtaph1dtJcRIhsBNZU2oQhnwsFWShFmUHtuKus9PEnUf5Z00sIsZKp-d_EgetGX0s42IBYO2nN1dGwsFUjLW1sanQtQ/s400/Albania1+009.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Difficult to find a bad road in this part of Greece !!</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">We reached the main road into Kastoria and decided nto fill ouir fuel tanks. We were stopped by a couplke of Greek bikers who insisted that we travel into Kastoria and have a coffee with them (I had already been to Kastoria ;ake nbut Mark had not) so we followed them in and had a frappe (cold iced coffee) by the lakeside.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxtdiqvbvOHnlj77Mz77i0_Lop3YxYTFDZHhnJ43ltohybs18laa1FPhLTSO5f7mJ43p3XPsk5CWb8jHbZCahkY0fEVwsD1GWKodoETEbnWcmwtpLon107_4-BpaZMZHE3OIlnUOKIw/s1600/Albania1+012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKxtdiqvbvOHnlj77Mz77i0_Lop3YxYTFDZHhnJ43ltohybs18laa1FPhLTSO5f7mJ43p3XPsk5CWb8jHbZCahkY0fEVwsD1GWKodoETEbnWcmwtpLon107_4-BpaZMZHE3OIlnUOKIw/s400/Albania1+012.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Our new Greek friends</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkplFeJTLMJYcgoOhCkkeF7LZIVrYRazllb09MpJQIEyKTQ3-QhG_7I7aDeKzic5Gf78B28P6tpf6kA6IfvixVm2LMSaEU_GMDkZkD69KYtGbmTLQqrNleHFaymrTIEtAHL5rAy2Kbdg/s1600/Albania1+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkplFeJTLMJYcgoOhCkkeF7LZIVrYRazllb09MpJQIEyKTQ3-QhG_7I7aDeKzic5Gf78B28P6tpf6kA6IfvixVm2LMSaEU_GMDkZkD69KYtGbmTLQqrNleHFaymrTIEtAHL5rAy2Kbdg/s400/Albania1+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mark... complete with pelican on Kastoria Lake behind him</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">It turns out that this day, Tuesday, was their day off - one was a bus driver and the other a border guard, They wanted to take us on a tour of the lake but as I had already done this befor we politely declined. We showed them our planned route and they told us the road from Korce to Permet in Albania was not a good road and very dangerous. They escorted us nback to the road to the Albanian border and we set off to our next new country.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-8hcY60i4WVgU181v-6FRi6DYhM06rp_55zO0PkKjAQ-of1LoSjbbatN-GpKyPiaMzMY0fLeVBpKVbdTt_rGoLtMm7k3KiPActPQUHF4mA1bSuJLYEZDnLIToZUKPIPUCSejbyRMxA/s1600/Albania1+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD-8hcY60i4WVgU181v-6FRi6DYhM06rp_55zO0PkKjAQ-of1LoSjbbatN-GpKyPiaMzMY0fLeVBpKVbdTt_rGoLtMm7k3KiPActPQUHF4mA1bSuJLYEZDnLIToZUKPIPUCSejbyRMxA/s400/Albania1+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Beware of bears in the Kastoria region</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We left Greece after a quick passport check and, for nsome nstrange breason, a look at our insurance and we entered the Albanian side. Passport check OK but I just could not find my vehicle registration documents anywher. I knew that I had taken them with me when I left the UK... we stripped down my bike at the border until, in the end, the guard got fed up and just put my bike registration into his computer and told me to carry on So, I am in Albania but can I get out with my bike - I will find out at the next border !!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There was nowhere that we could see to buy insurance so we pressed on uninsured, We reached the first large town of Korce in the heat of the afternoon sun and found a bank. We cashed 200 euros in exchange for 27,500 Albanian Leks and so we now had fuel and money for the next part of our adventure.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We started out from Korce and found the road to Permet. It was good tarmac but was potholed in places but easily rideable. We soon spotted one of the many thousands of concrete bunkers that Albania is famus for at the roadside. The road was fairly flat for about 35 miles then it picked up and we had a nice mountain ride with fantastic scenery through the Barmash pass at 1759m highand then followed the Vjosa River gorge with ints mint green mineral water. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0h1Dja1-qLLu2kd8bzHOF3RgF6tVvMASq8mMG3B-x-3YplUAXr_LH9HlHo4yYsf300IQdW0uNcUxmP8mfpWmDGl4rRGmQv4lIJC8X3IvEOZvgX1UZ2n-LHQX_muryYiLSboO3rFeuA/s1600/Albania1+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC0h1Dja1-qLLu2kd8bzHOF3RgF6tVvMASq8mMG3B-x-3YplUAXr_LH9HlHo4yYsf300IQdW0uNcUxmP8mfpWmDGl4rRGmQv4lIJC8X3IvEOZvgX1UZ2n-LHQX_muryYiLSboO3rFeuA/s400/Albania1+022.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">View of the Vjosa River</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjzJ9Bmsb-zNn9PlZh1IlljBiHcNuW1XEkIvypTbPt_j3OakiKE9xnhmIPoLc2tYuU6oN3lTmVHNwWehofN98CsChUjsrJUfwbNaZI_Lvc8CZZpDgNIXlTe077w4sBrTKwBa8GEoD3Q/s1600/Albania1+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcjzJ9Bmsb-zNn9PlZh1IlljBiHcNuW1XEkIvypTbPt_j3OakiKE9xnhmIPoLc2tYuU6oN3lTmVHNwWehofN98CsChUjsrJUfwbNaZI_Lvc8CZZpDgNIXlTe077w4sBrTKwBa8GEoD3Q/s400/Albania1+026.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Road to Permet</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">We stopped around 5pm and found an nice roadside hotel which did us dinner, bed and breakfast for both of us at 35 euros ~ (less than £30) and that included beer and wine too with the added bonus of air conditioned rooms. Everest, the nephew of the owner spoke good English and looked after us as we entertained his younger brother and cousin with some magis tricks (I always carry something to show the locals !)</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-6219963903149243702012-06-23T09:15:00.001-07:002012-06-23T09:15:20.175-07:00<b><span style="font-size: large;">19th June 2012 to 23rd June 2012</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Tuesday morning, 19th</b>, we left Bulgaria with a heavy heart as we had enjoyed both the country and its people - so much more different than I had imagined the place to be - if you get the chance go, I am sure that you will be as surprised as I was. We made our way to the border south avoiding the Shipka pass and using little forest back roads until we hit the big town of Stara Zagora. The main road took us back into the mountains and back down to the flats for our entry to Greece at Ormeni. A quick passport check by a Bulgarian policeman on the way out and the same again into Greece by what was probably the most grumpy Greek that we met in all of the country - so much for welcome to Greece please spend your euros with us....</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">As we pulled into the town of Orestiada looking for our hotel we were accosted by Stefanos on his BMW 1200 Adventure who stopped us and then led us directly to the hotel door. We agreed to meet up with him and his friend, Chris, later in the evening for a beer. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXp8pkgzJtItucPf21mRFVXnMe-xEFJvZGUeXjhXNKBHwTH4AYYTtWNY2DrfJyM9t3yg_vAl59cjScM701_QS-Avj8ZlkW-_5eKKH9w3p3_cGv8zG3fTdkybTd-sHSIsuEjH9YE4ywg/s1600/Greece+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXp8pkgzJtItucPf21mRFVXnMe-xEFJvZGUeXjhXNKBHwTH4AYYTtWNY2DrfJyM9t3yg_vAl59cjScM701_QS-Avj8ZlkW-_5eKKH9w3p3_cGv8zG3fTdkybTd-sHSIsuEjH9YE4ywg/s400/Greece+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stefanos</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">A good shower and cool down with the air conditioning saw us ready to take on the night. We met Stefanos at the appointed hour and had a couple of drinks and swapped stories of past and upcoming adventures. Stefanos is off on 23rd on a two week trip to Poland and back so he will have to cover 4500kms in 12 days.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We said our goodbyes and fell into bed ready for another day of riding.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Wednesday 20th</b> was another hot day but luckily we managed to pack the bikes in the shade. We had made plans today to follow a small mountain road from Metaxades south to Alexandroupoli and then head north-west (again on back roads) to the hotel Dimokristos in the centre of Komotini. Our hotel overlooked a small park and we sat on our shaded balcony drinking beer bought cheaply at the local supermarket and eating bread and cheese with salami - tasted really good. We have been averaging around 40 euros a night bed and breakfast with air-con and free wi-fi (that's just a little over £32 per night for the two of us) and all the hotels so far have been good value for money and a hundred times better than rough camping.. A great day's ride in the mountains and we were looking forward to more of the same tomorrow.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytGc2B4Fv_yUUYW_yZvWW0HBbbNyI6Wfxe6ToehMU0lVMWr5yrffoOWcyx_pBYPvEKZa8U7Sa_WqMMLSDfTGxmQBXGaN1WhR1OOEjWA15AQQfyuPK7XdGAB3lVj1lzDVFgJcjLI34Ig/s1600/Greece+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytGc2B4Fv_yUUYW_yZvWW0HBbbNyI6Wfxe6ToehMU0lVMWr5yrffoOWcyx_pBYPvEKZa8U7Sa_WqMMLSDfTGxmQBXGaN1WhR1OOEjWA15AQQfyuPK7XdGAB3lVj1lzDVFgJcjLI34Ig/s400/Greece+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Greek rosd</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">~<b>Thursday 21st </b>we packed in the heat of the morning sun this time only too glad to start cooling down as we left Komotini. The first part of our journey eastwards was fairly mundabe until we hit bthe city of Xanthi where we took the road (eventually after half hour riding around in the midday heat) out and up into the cooler air of the mountains. We stopped for fuel near Panesti and got invited to sit with the locals eating cherries and apricots which we did in the shade of an old bar umbrella. We shook hands and said our farewells and set off back down the mountain to the city of Drama then onto boring two lane highways towards Thessaloniki before finishing the day at the Hotel Gala around 25 kms from Thessaloniki in a quiet part of the world. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We had arrived hot. Mark asked a question, I answered sarcastically then suddenly we were not on speaking terms and Mark junped on his bike and took off. Shit ! I thought. We don't normally have arguments and this wasn't really an argument but the end result was similar - we had gone our separate ways. I took the room and had a shower and sent Mark a text along the lines of "What was that all about". To his credit Mark did return to discuss what had happened but there wasn't much to talk about really - just a hot headed reaction from each of us. We agreed to carry on - man hug, man hug - and all was right with the world. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The hotel did not serve food so we went into the local town, found a bar and asked for two beers and something to eat, We got two beers and a small bowl of cherries and peach slices - not quite the meal we wanted so we asked for the whereabouts of the nearest mini market and we were directed to a small backstreet of the village where. indeed, there was a mini market. We spent 17 euros on beers, cigarettes and lots of food before taking it back to the hotel and scoffing the lot !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Friday 22nd </b>- Despite not serving an evening meal a breakfast was prepared especially for us so we felt obliged to eat it. We had booked a hotel in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteora" target="_blank">Meteora</a> and hit hit the road taking the main route (but not motorway) to Veria where we picked up twisty mountain roads to Kozani where we took a detour across Lake Aliakmona and then onto the small country roads to the town of Kalambaka which sits under the shade of the hilltop monasteries of Meteora.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciq30U_EmZYRNhtYqbkJMaI9moNDsaHI3K4lSpFQjGTMcvxfPdB8GauxxFWC5MDShGdw6aA48TSySZ8KOWg0_SJzSmqTVvTTQikxRALh1XRLvQF8PA5l3TrAuMZ36OaZuMyrSRsEKIg/s1600/Greece+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjciq30U_EmZYRNhtYqbkJMaI9moNDsaHI3K4lSpFQjGTMcvxfPdB8GauxxFWC5MDShGdw6aA48TSySZ8KOWg0_SJzSmqTVvTTQikxRALh1XRLvQF8PA5l3TrAuMZ36OaZuMyrSRsEKIg/s400/Greece+028.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View down to Lake Aliakmona</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgE8Q_CkfRTnVLQOzQH2u6uIegUD8iiHyidNoZqR6ZvgP70hZUPgf0344LoC7rHUp7WBSERwGOlKbm69uaGVcp7Q_qLCwr-j5j7Hnv_1RjvVU6u5qQxvNdDZxbjlpg6f5sH2SAstKqw/s1600/Greece+031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgE8Q_CkfRTnVLQOzQH2u6uIegUD8iiHyidNoZqR6ZvgP70hZUPgf0344LoC7rHUp7WBSERwGOlKbm69uaGVcp7Q_qLCwr-j5j7Hnv_1RjvVU6u5qQxvNdDZxbjlpg6f5sH2SAstKqw/s400/Greece+031.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The Dutch receptionist at the Hotel Kosta Famissi was so very pleasant and the rooms good that we asked for a two night stay. We got some beers and wine from a local store and had a lazy afternoon before stepping out in the hot evening to have a traditional Greek meal at a nearby restaurant. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpslLqzP9LUm4BRCAbW23ZLhxH74peNHYId_2WyEA-zG3ulmIBK9K4x8VezE23DW7MipT2DIq__lQ71A8UU_Bk1xyzlC8pyCNZUHrIA50l1H66PjTS8HkBPpYhz4bV4Gh3zdVYaOfgg/s1600/Greece+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpslLqzP9LUm4BRCAbW23ZLhxH74peNHYId_2WyEA-zG3ulmIBK9K4x8VezE23DW7MipT2DIq__lQ71A8UU_Bk1xyzlC8pyCNZUHrIA50l1H66PjTS8HkBPpYhz4bV4Gh3zdVYaOfgg/s400/Greece+037.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our hotel balcony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Later in the evening I sent a text to John & Brigit at Wildcat Adventure tours to say bthat I notice from their website that we must have just missed them in Meteora. Not so came the reply - they were coming through this way tomorrow at midday - how much of a co-incidence is that. We swapped texts and agreed to meet for lunch !</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We watched Germany beat Greece 4-2 in the Euro footie and thanked our lucky stars that we were not German. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Saturday 23rd </b>- another bright, sunny hot day. We had breakfast and went for an early morning ride around Meteora before the coach parties arrived. It was nice to ride in the cooler air withouth all the motorcycle gear but the 10km ride only took an hour or so and we parked up outside the hotel and waited for John and his tour group to arrive.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEMA8usB9fvx0DGI2m4GBS2EDCbXkrE08CXPkbq6cLXyO5dQs-HyuSPyS-nRXjv5X55iiLPwlvfoMsuFLuok4YfT0zgVszEZ68zANHplDYsMqn9gq49-h8zRBXg-V7ggzTbEQF7iE5Q/s1600/greece3+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEMA8usB9fvx0DGI2m4GBS2EDCbXkrE08CXPkbq6cLXyO5dQs-HyuSPyS-nRXjv5X55iiLPwlvfoMsuFLuok4YfT0zgVszEZ68zANHplDYsMqn9gq49-h8zRBXg-V7ggzTbEQF7iE5Q/s400/greece3+027.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meteora</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The guys arrived hot and sticky from their ride from Kastoria so we all had a cold drink from our hotel bar before heading into the town for a sandwich ( we avoided food at this stage as we would eat later). We then went with the group up to Meteora and then back down to Kalambaka where we said our goodbyes to the guys who were off to Igoumenitsa to catch the overnight ferry to Italy and home.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz0ve3aLDbt2MMAtAEGOB4h0R_zQkhFy6Yfom6MfoDKPhFxEWI1rdgMPn_0oDaIYep5W991EuzmvdmYY0NqG507Pg6eHbo5ZtlVUWRkNAseonlK6eukSg3vtq9FYyL0mgpeODp9hAXQ/s1600/greece3+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBz0ve3aLDbt2MMAtAEGOB4h0R_zQkhFy6Yfom6MfoDKPhFxEWI1rdgMPn_0oDaIYep5W991EuzmvdmYY0NqG507Pg6eHbo5ZtlVUWRkNAseonlK6eukSg3vtq9FYyL0mgpeODp9hAXQ/s400/greece3+021.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John's tour group - Turkey 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We popped into Lidl for more beers and some bread and cheese and here I am typing up my blog which I have missed for the last few days !!! </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow we head for the mountains again to spend our last day in Greece in the small town of Monodendri before crossing into Albania on Monday morning.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-19974173202273968582012-06-18T07:07:00.002-07:002012-06-18T07:07:38.190-07:00<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monday 18th June 2012</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I woke up this morning to the sound of the shepherd herding his goats past my open window. The bells on their necks clattered away as they made slow progress through the village of Idelevo.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iCYxK9iE5K6OwDoBweyz-f09Ysj7hQe7M7SvLudGe3YEbYubrM1Csihq94EXPzFzpMYOVKaeHPYVpp8Ozmau0Tmi6ATuM4pnJhoBjB3vJqzOagDFK7BRpCVjiB-9E5myahbiaDId0w/s1600/Bulgaria1+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3iCYxK9iE5K6OwDoBweyz-f09Ysj7hQe7M7SvLudGe3YEbYubrM1Csihq94EXPzFzpMYOVKaeHPYVpp8Ozmau0Tmi6ATuM4pnJhoBjB3vJqzOagDFK7BRpCVjiB-9E5myahbiaDId0w/s400/Bulgaria1+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from my bedroom window this morning</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I missed morning coffee and shower as a power cut had taken care of that so we got our riding gear on and set off for the monument at Buzludzha (click <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzludzha" target="_blank">here</a> for a link to Wikipedia) which has been abandoned by the Bulgarian government and is now in disrepair - but impressive nonetheless.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Doug was kind enough to lend me his Garmin sat nav which had the Bulgariaqn maps that mine did not and soon we were off to the Shipka Pass via a network of back roads that Doug had programmed in.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The road leading off the Shipka Pass to Buzludzha was a 12km potholed affair but the BMW's coped very well and the awful road was worth it when we reached the monument perched high on the hill like a spaceship looking out over the surrounding beautiful scenery.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Approaching Buzludzha... </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFX3EQKP_q1fLksOA1GSweCpXMtJ9_Wz64dIB6fu2FQ0BamMHdId_P21iyxBS0sOmIr2RbeKZuo-oLhOFwb7DVNLvMLjanQjTKQddnRJS2I2tW5Lobaa9a8VRgpfbrn8KNAqwRTRzwQ/s1600/Bulgaria1+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFX3EQKP_q1fLksOA1GSweCpXMtJ9_Wz64dIB6fu2FQ0BamMHdId_P21iyxBS0sOmIr2RbeKZuo-oLhOFwb7DVNLvMLjanQjTKQddnRJS2I2tW5Lobaa9a8VRgpfbrn8KNAqwRTRzwQ/s400/Bulgaria1+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9GAb0YP-tY_48t7krTA1Y_Ug0zD05vltO4Av-nbdvaMLlABbRWdqWI-zwnz2HpWO2b4sCTZ8I3vPilh-ywUOOBSMlP3nihLe-14iUXd-a267V_3mcraB84cIZSPUWgyZIbJMB9iaZw/s1600/Bulgaria1+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK9GAb0YP-tY_48t7krTA1Y_Ug0zD05vltO4Av-nbdvaMLlABbRWdqWI-zwnz2HpWO2b4sCTZ8I3vPilh-ywUOOBSMlP3nihLe-14iUXd-a267V_3mcraB84cIZSPUWgyZIbJMB9iaZw/s400/Bulgaria1+007.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We were the only people there and it was indeed abandoned - the concrete was gradually failing and it won't take many winters before it starts to literally fall apart. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmweeY-Nn3jvY4bkJBpPmOySwGQp_4Ajpto3hmr0Mtwtad2ZzHeEugsNk30tXqtSFbwoSEfeJVIGiJbxcjLkvrsWbObRbPYrnDv_XkyTRY14qFaW3RmUk3Ylhh08aJ7Qu8G8U35_saQ/s1600/Bulgaria1+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmweeY-Nn3jvY4bkJBpPmOySwGQp_4Ajpto3hmr0Mtwtad2ZzHeEugsNk30tXqtSFbwoSEfeJVIGiJbxcjLkvrsWbObRbPYrnDv_XkyTRY14qFaW3RmUk3Ylhh08aJ7Qu8G8U35_saQ/s400/Bulgaria1+008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyqgRaWm9pLCpzR4APg4xkUpoVSmS7aktPsC4-VpMTQke_EdHZ8ChZg2RC2djOfvJV7pNRxZV8MeCJX5jBNwMRWrNPABR-j9caNzB62kBVg-nc6vSeg1jUM_PhFqvbYEeLfk1EVNQpQ/s1600/Bulgaria1+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeyqgRaWm9pLCpzR4APg4xkUpoVSmS7aktPsC4-VpMTQke_EdHZ8ChZg2RC2djOfvJV7pNRxZV8MeCJX5jBNwMRWrNPABR-j9caNzB62kBVg-nc6vSeg1jUM_PhFqvbYEeLfk1EVNQpQ/s400/Bulgaria1+011.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkxaeVFgneNZiGYVBFmLnO9zF5Lc_xFUW-QUHJpZODNyQ-N_XJgLQZFEy-uMxbfTEaSj1pFZ2ZIjjol9jZAt3VraFTmRp6kqSvYBeOmf48bbcLzph2nqVaegjNWOwvH8fOnzlFuOnWg/s1600/Bulgaria1+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLkxaeVFgneNZiGYVBFmLnO9zF5Lc_xFUW-QUHJpZODNyQ-N_XJgLQZFEy-uMxbfTEaSj1pFZ2ZIjjol9jZAt3VraFTmRp6kqSvYBeOmf48bbcLzph2nqVaegjNWOwvH8fOnzlFuOnWg/s400/Bulgaria1+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The views from the top of the hill were magnificent and we stayed a good hour or so just taking it all in before heading back to the Motocamp by a different route.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By the time we arrived back the sun was blisteringly hot - nearly 100 degrees farenheit today and not a cloud in sight. A quick shower and a beer soon put the world back on its axis.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorow we head for Greece - we have shelved the idea of going to Turkey and the Gallipoli peninsula mostly because I have already been there in 2010 and there is not much scenery once you get there. So another country in the morning. </span><br />
<br />
<br />strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-36574880473731379622012-06-17T05:14:00.003-07:002012-06-17T05:14:47.445-07:00<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Thursday 14th June to Sunday 17th June (Father's Day)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The breakfast at the Hotel Fiume was not a McDonalds and we eat well before we set off in what was to be a nice day weatherwise. Our destination for today was yet another country - Romania and luckily we had some currency leftover from our round the world trip last year so the hassles of finding a bankomat were put to one side this time. We reached the border crossing quite quickly as Bekescaba was not too far away and a quick passport check and we were in and on our way south.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The roads were very busy, full of trucks and vans stuck in long jams and we soon reaslised that our sat navs were taking us on a southerly main road route which avoided the mountains - this was not what we wanted so at Arad we headed east towards Deva and we soon picked up nice back roads through the foothills of the mountain ranges.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Our route took us through the Judental Gorge alongside the Jui river and eventually we found a roadside motel - the Europa - where we had a good night's stay for around £35 including evening meal and breakfast for us both and by extreme good fortune...a waitress with nice boobies who insisted on leaning over in front of us to display her wares....... it's been a long dusty road he said with his tongue hanging out.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeDybkfi-0L_5v2rlR3CwSZIdGzloczs9hLXenBVBpoGCqLmbrDXVatDHfmN8IKmwT9Cj4plUMq5-9Xg2E7R4vB6lpNzvYGTmFmfW3RdvrRaaERLDRA5KfhSJOe54YRD2-0xiVnssA/s1600/Bulgaria+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEzeDybkfi-0L_5v2rlR3CwSZIdGzloczs9hLXenBVBpoGCqLmbrDXVatDHfmN8IKmwT9Cj4plUMq5-9Xg2E7R4vB6lpNzvYGTmFmfW3RdvrRaaERLDRA5KfhSJOe54YRD2-0xiVnssA/s400/Bulgaria+008.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judental Gorge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Friday morning was upon us and we set off early (bearing in mind that we lost an hour crossing into Romania) and our destination today was the Horizons mini bike meet at Doug's Moto Camp in Bulgaria.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We made good time to the Romanian/Bulgarian border which was crossed, not by road, but by ferryboat. We paid our dues and soon we were being carried across the river at Orahovo and off into a relatively quick border crossing the other side.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DA4Du-5MgZ3wYiriq08r3mexfCFtaZmLF93NWkqI8ohwRXQDfe13C8eQmQklddhdvbVAMImDEJb23JUClSsfGbYak395o9EdscgTbtNTyodshQRLXxzIoiqa_RGqwcji2eys5BmTtQ/s1600/Bulgaria+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0DA4Du-5MgZ3wYiriq08r3mexfCFtaZmLF93NWkqI8ohwRXQDfe13C8eQmQklddhdvbVAMImDEJb23JUClSsfGbYak395o9EdscgTbtNTyodshQRLXxzIoiqa_RGqwcji2eys5BmTtQ/s400/Bulgaria+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goodbye Romania.. on the Ferryboat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We soon found a fuel station that took our visa card so we now had enough petrol to get us to Doug & Polly's Moto Camp but the local bancomat was out of service so we didn't manage to get any Bulgarian currency until much further into the journey in the city of Pleven where, purely by luck we missed the bypass road, and ended up outside a bank with an all shininhg bancomat ready to dish us out some dosh.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBknEFi0XjOPDXP8jStEFyPPmISKgrWz-dmBKGCrkcbJjg4-b7OikcSrS9vPoIaGxX5HSfXFGYqiJvShFyaH-TwpDeWM4klx-BKldXGxY-8RiuG3DEpnUVelCLP8Lo6PbSSa7q_3aULQ/s1600/Bulgaria+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBknEFi0XjOPDXP8jStEFyPPmISKgrWz-dmBKGCrkcbJjg4-b7OikcSrS9vPoIaGxX5HSfXFGYqiJvShFyaH-TwpDeWM4klx-BKldXGxY-8RiuG3DEpnUVelCLP8Lo6PbSSa7q_3aULQ/s400/Bulgaria+020.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bulgaria</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOW4reY80IXOaGsdKYoxYR1U75nj7khxLIrHycp9HNfiyFmVRWZoF3URRspKk1lw4Xmzpy0c6p5HL0RhyphenhyphenBPWWQ2ZDlIHJX67z0e-IaXZ2hC1EvgRVfrs4y_X-ySag20XRb3ylZzn96Bw/s1600/Bulgaria+030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOW4reY80IXOaGsdKYoxYR1U75nj7khxLIrHycp9HNfiyFmVRWZoF3URRspKk1lw4Xmzpy0c6p5HL0RhyphenhyphenBPWWQ2ZDlIHJX67z0e-IaXZ2hC1EvgRVfrs4y_X-ySag20XRb3ylZzn96Bw/s400/Bulgaria+030.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the road in Bulgaria</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Loaded up with our Bulgarian Levs we set off and by 3pm we were turning into the gates of Doug & Polly's biker camp just in time to have a cold beer before we unpacked. It was very hot so we opted for a room instead of sleeping in a hot tent toasting in the hot Bulgarian sunshine. </span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt6HypPmTuOCva4amIeuQzBQ-qt77_v-kbVqX6BIOu8_Ff0Fxv7hnxHpEt3WQ0XR6KhLA3TVB120UsWZNzpwSRwn1WfHb5yNAjVUUxiAOTcoMxhuKqUpueEa-nVSwj-A0MmUseQ-sfA/s1600/Bulgaria+041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJt6HypPmTuOCva4amIeuQzBQ-qt77_v-kbVqX6BIOu8_Ff0Fxv7hnxHpEt3WQ0XR6KhLA3TVB120UsWZNzpwSRwn1WfHb5yNAjVUUxiAOTcoMxhuKqUpueEa-nVSwj-A0MmUseQ-sfA/s400/Bulgaria+041.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doug & Polly's Moto Camp</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29VK1lah5-GJ8jqG6e1wwoC4UW_B1As9G8KxB6fXsJ20iD74HoiZ7zZ7zZntKKTFvx0XUHW9kxQfH3T7UVn4yGGdJXJqPWd8CbezA6iDW5QMwB1v_eDsJKb8D738yTjq9wB78pLlWPQ/s1600/Bulgaria+042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29VK1lah5-GJ8jqG6e1wwoC4UW_B1As9G8KxB6fXsJ20iD74HoiZ7zZ7zZntKKTFvx0XUHW9kxQfH3T7UVn4yGGdJXJqPWd8CbezA6iDW5QMwB1v_eDsJKb8D738yTjq9wB78pLlWPQ/s400/Bulgaria+042.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the gates</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Doug & Polly made us very welcome and soon more bikers turned up and we sat and drank beer and chatted until we couldn't stay awake - around 10.30pm - what lightweights we have become in our old age !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Saturday morning and we awoke to blue cloudless skies and decided to go out on a ride with a few of the other bikers. We spent a few hours in the hills visiting a few of the local sites and stopped for a long lunch at a roadside restaurant not far from the Trojanski monastery. One thing we learned about Bulgaria is that they have to have cigarette or three with everything and we stopped frequently on the ride for a smoking break - we soon found out that it was a race to get to the shady spot for the stop or you would soon bake in the midday sunshine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Same again for the evening- a couple of cold beers and chatting - we actually managed 12.30 before hitting the sack !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So here we are on Sunday - lazy day under the shade of the bar roof just catching up with washing etc etc...........</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-28535821147825998212012-06-13T12:34:00.004-07:002012-06-13T12:34:46.600-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Hungary 13th June 2012</b></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Waking in our Slovakian Pension to the soft patter of rain falling in the courtyard outside told me that it was going to be a wet ride today. The Pension Oaza was a total surprise in that it was quite a swish place with a good restaurant decked out in an African theme of palm trees and bongo drums and a good chef to round it off with. The owner greeted us in the morning as we packed the bikes telling us that breakfast was available...... at McDonalds just a kilometre from the pension - we politely declined breakfast and set off in the cold rain.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Slovakia is a lovely country with rolling green hills and small mountains and I am sure it would look even better bathed in sunlight than the low level cloud that we were seeing today. The ride south was uneventful (no kamikaze cars, lorries or sheep today) and we soon found ourselves at the Hungarian border where we bought ourselves a vignette allowing use of certain roads in the country - no vignette can mean a hefty fine.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Hungary differed from Slovakia in many ways aside from the money (Forints) and the language. In Slovakia the journey would be slowed by reaching a village every couple of miles or so whereas in Hungary there seemed to be towns and then nothing other than long straight roads over flat terrain between them. The major difference for us today was the parting of the clouds to reveal sunshine and blue sky which started to cheer us up.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By 5 o'clock we were getting tired and hungry ( we hadn't eaten a thing all day) so we found a hotel in the town of Bekescsaba in the south of the country. The Hotel Fiume was built in the 1890's and looked far too grand for us but a quick check with the receptionist had us in for a twin room at 12000 forints (about £36) including breakfast and free WiFi.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIhflBJeTh5wGMj9Tzh4F_i1wyVwKCYOAipOE-WDwCr2GrFdRqvQ1lx4SK2DPOQzCcdu1rPGkYvDs8d6bYB9YmfMpgUykHAIWM_O92KNSDXkZfo-n6VMZOlaJuwF_uzZfPEuSl9i3Kw/s1600/Hungary+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyIhflBJeTh5wGMj9Tzh4F_i1wyVwKCYOAipOE-WDwCr2GrFdRqvQ1lx4SK2DPOQzCcdu1rPGkYvDs8d6bYB9YmfMpgUykHAIWM_O92KNSDXkZfo-n6VMZOlaJuwF_uzZfPEuSl9i3Kw/s400/Hungary+002.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hotel Fiume, Bekescsaba</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Showered and changed we took advantage of the changed weather and ate outside on the pavement terrace of the restaurant - 4 big beers and two huge helpings of Goulash (well you have to don't you !) set us back just £21 in total - we had to scurry around to find notes small enough to leave a tip !</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOdhdCBikd1M2rOs8YwezE_4NdBTZAJKJ1mj-TkkAT3G_rlEHAEWvq-Z6qPmwefdmzaz2G5bZpEdyBskgmnmpaKs-BAPSahkoeW-BH_RNbYwGNr2ZlS6n10JrgvCLtDEmubmFGkDdgw/s1600/Hungary+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOdhdCBikd1M2rOs8YwezE_4NdBTZAJKJ1mj-TkkAT3G_rlEHAEWvq-Z6qPmwefdmzaz2G5bZpEdyBskgmnmpaKs-BAPSahkoeW-BH_RNbYwGNr2ZlS6n10JrgvCLtDEmubmFGkDdgw/s400/Hungary+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hungarian Goulash</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">There is a McDonalds close by so let's hope that the hotel breakfast isn't the same as the Pension Oaza !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-62586697465097449892012-06-12T13:56:00.001-07:002012-06-12T13:56:19.078-07:00Czechmate !<br />
<br />
Sunday 10th June 2012 to Tuesday 12th June 2012<br />
<br />
We enjoyed the German Horizons meeting. Fern's dad turned up in a van to collect his daughter and her busted bike - she is going to get it fixed in England and the she will set out on her big trip again before all her visas run out. We chilled and watched all the crowd pack up and leave on Sunday. We had asked if we could stay an extra night so our tents stayed put until they were the only ones left and the campsite was eerily quiet.<br />
<br />
Monday morning was overcast with just a few spots of rain, in fact ideal weather for packing up as it wasn't too hot. Our aim was to reach the Czech Republic and we set off in earnest at around 8am. The weather held for a while but it didn;t take long for the rain to start but we persevered and finished our marathon journey on Horadovice, well inside the Czech Republic.<br />
<br />
We took a room at the Zlaty Jelen hotel where we soon learned that nobody spoke or understood English so we reverted to a mixture of German and Russian and some phrases from my east european book which seemed to get us where we needed nto be in the buying beer and food stakes. We took a brief walk around the town before dinner to whip up an appetite and we found a small restaurant which also had the England v France game on TV so we availed ourselves of the local pilsen beer and had a hearty meal.<br />
<br />
The following morning (Tuesday 12th) we woke with the lark and packed our bikes in the courtyard at the back of the hotel where we also met the customary drunk (yes ! 8am in the morning). He seemed happy enough to watch us load our bikes and he even had a chat with a nearby car.<br />
<br />
We left Horadavice and took a myriad of small backroads across the Czech Republic in what turned out to be a fantastic days riding with the exception of a truck, a car and two deer all of who had tried (unsucsessfully) to remove me from the road by either driving at me head on, pulling out in front of me or bounding across the road just a few feet away from my tyres. I survived the onslaught in time to receive a blast of heavy rain as we crossed the border into Slovakia a nice warm but wet rain which gave us a good soaking. We had prebooked a room in a hotel in Prievidza but even with two sat navs we were beaten when we tried to find the address, Sat in an outlying village I rang the hotel owner but we had a strange conversation as he spoke only Czech and Russian but no English. I gave up and ended the call but then I spotted a young girl walking up the road who, when asked, told us that she could speak English. I rang the hotel owner again and she translated for us. She told him exactly where we were and he drove the 4 kilometres to us and guided us back to the Pension Oaza - easy when you know where it is !<br />
<br />
The Pension Oaza surprised us as it also had a well kitted out restaurant and bar so we ate and drank well before heading off to bed. Tomorrow (Wednesday 13th) we are aiming for Hungary. on our quest to be at the Bulgaria bikers meeting by Friday.<br />
<br />
Some pics of Horadovice.....<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERoD2AJZk1gZD2BieAeejBur3_HkQRveZOMmsv6wzFI7zzG6yPT1STe72BLNd8Ko9JdWt7XPPGnNPVoCv8TJBaDrdnXNkl0DdcCgZdJh6uN1mFglEWS0bsIAF3Uw6z38VVTwajyIqfw/s1600/Czech+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERoD2AJZk1gZD2BieAeejBur3_HkQRveZOMmsv6wzFI7zzG6yPT1STe72BLNd8Ko9JdWt7XPPGnNPVoCv8TJBaDrdnXNkl0DdcCgZdJh6uN1mFglEWS0bsIAF3Uw6z38VVTwajyIqfw/s400/Czech+002.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7_RUic49WiwUTe8xP_vaF1wtR1PVN9-MS9jSRPlyK2sntp0Bh2qYV2GOTmIZiqyqe3CinwiII9B3Bhmubev9PLOj7rm_nunBb4VjbWi0tkU7vndGOpBTIp8z4_3MtRVJfiwW_HD86w/s1600/Czech+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim7_RUic49WiwUTe8xP_vaF1wtR1PVN9-MS9jSRPlyK2sntp0Bh2qYV2GOTmIZiqyqe3CinwiII9B3Bhmubev9PLOj7rm_nunBb4VjbWi0tkU7vndGOpBTIp8z4_3MtRVJfiwW_HD86w/s400/Czech+008.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU_Q0aG_Erh6BhvFqavJhvq_oN3FlKiZKIVtpNeToEEN0GpGaHZMqy5WcXair7hxL-ifDe1OonrqYd6vSfqVQWikw4ttB-tD-NMok5jpDvsrHw_tjpLSYOtt4ecteavRPNsTukRo_pg/s1600/Czech+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU_Q0aG_Erh6BhvFqavJhvq_oN3FlKiZKIVtpNeToEEN0GpGaHZMqy5WcXair7hxL-ifDe1OonrqYd6vSfqVQWikw4ttB-tD-NMok5jpDvsrHw_tjpLSYOtt4ecteavRPNsTukRo_pg/s400/Czech+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Zlaty Jelen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-86443199976864741142012-06-09T05:57:00.003-07:002012-06-09T05:57:55.089-07:00<b>Wednesday 6th June 2012 to Saturday 9th June 2012</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We left Kirschlengen in the dry as, thankfully, it had stopped raining. Len gave us both a hug and was joined by Doris's next door neighbour, Rosie, who also wanted to give us a hug and wish us well on our journey.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Despite the fact that we had now fitted our intercoms to our helmets during our stay at Doris's we managed to lose each other within a couple of miles and so we each had a separate trip to Ober-Leibersbach in the Odenwald area of Germany. We had been there before so we both knew where we would end up and I was only about 15 minutes into unloading my bike at the campsite when Mark turned up. We analysed how we had lost each other but it didn't really matter as we were back on track now.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihn5wW90PkorVVfMIpuFRN4z4-cEMV1HD2ntTGVnRk7u-gnM_y0WvazuYFej26JrXYR30Ms8VKB6g5t4t5nxwnXocwUfGoeIszXgQVOf3Wey5MGOW0YlTKjlgAC0hYKjkfm7koKPfmA/s1600/Balkans+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihn5wW90PkorVVfMIpuFRN4z4-cEMV1HD2ntTGVnRk7u-gnM_y0WvazuYFej26JrXYR30Ms8VKB6g5t4t5nxwnXocwUfGoeIszXgQVOf3Wey5MGOW0YlTKjlgAC0hYKjkfm7koKPfmA/s400/Balkans+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunchtime at the campsite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKdBh3xeXP69TNjRWyl06azDQQeS3gCVjYbcEb8CPAN9u1jsyW_NqkVwMRXix_VPSFtJM7ZBiBiLMrEmJ-2DEYWu0mjzSBH-HE50Nx8gIYOkYf3PNZuE0CWrBOk_pHu2dTZcgIctQjQ/s1600/Balkans+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEKdBh3xeXP69TNjRWyl06azDQQeS3gCVjYbcEb8CPAN9u1jsyW_NqkVwMRXix_VPSFtJM7ZBiBiLMrEmJ-2DEYWu0mjzSBH-HE50Nx8gIYOkYf3PNZuE0CWrBOk_pHu2dTZcgIctQjQ/s400/Balkans+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Pitch</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;">We set up the tents and settled down for a long weekend of catching up with old friends and meeting new ones. One girl, Fern, had just set out on her lifetime journey - England to New Zealand - only to find out that her bike's engine had given up the ghost and she is now waiting to take it back to the UK to get it fixed quickly so that she can ship back out in time for her visas to be still of use to her.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The campsite is cosy and around 100 bikers have turned up for this meeting. We are heading to the Czech Republic on Monday so we are keeping our fingers crossed that the weather holds out.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJINS7bIDlH_ay0I_4vj2UzUJPforwETOFc7QS3Vw-QHB023GR4gK3l-71U5yRftyqAAcfCAZE055iY3qHGEMlfWPEgAd7BrfaQ-2JPZuyT4oChE5qiPsODx2P8RqClAFCS662qF9Ug/s1600/Balkans+010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJINS7bIDlH_ay0I_4vj2UzUJPforwETOFc7QS3Vw-QHB023GR4gK3l-71U5yRftyqAAcfCAZE055iY3qHGEMlfWPEgAd7BrfaQ-2JPZuyT4oChE5qiPsODx2P8RqClAFCS662qF9Ug/s400/Balkans+010.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forest Walk near the Campsite</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaxtmh47XdyhnQpRBMBaPRohIvfdRGEd0to0FGw0iR3nrr_MzCy5CePbg9tXSRfbn4ZBJ2Bq6Mtd3SqzqqKg9V-lC5kNaiUU_U3SDBfq1gR52xdibEzsj6yQQNj7o0ClNGk0524Lt6Q/s1600/Balkans+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaxtmh47XdyhnQpRBMBaPRohIvfdRGEd0to0FGw0iR3nrr_MzCy5CePbg9tXSRfbn4ZBJ2Bq6Mtd3SqzqqKg9V-lC5kNaiUU_U3SDBfq1gR52xdibEzsj6yQQNj7o0ClNGk0524Lt6Q/s400/Balkans+013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Campsite from Nearby Ridge</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC8_rpGnSLHs0OlIu36mFeIkmRnIXNfls8TURQFpwyCQgyiRwZpMXvbUZ-CmPXG6N0Qy5MFYriCvzDF0K-KD80ppfVJpsxxyo7RB3Fr_5uFevt4ceUECBDR3dzilYh7QkKtwlUO39dA/s1600/Balkans+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGC8_rpGnSLHs0OlIu36mFeIkmRnIXNfls8TURQFpwyCQgyiRwZpMXvbUZ-CmPXG6N0Qy5MFYriCvzDF0K-KD80ppfVJpsxxyo7RB3Fr_5uFevt4ceUECBDR3dzilYh7QkKtwlUO39dA/s400/Balkans+019.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<br />strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-3277846943939387262012-06-06T05:03:00.003-07:002012-06-06T05:05:08.012-07:00<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Friday 1<sup>st</sup> June 2012 to Tuesday 5th June 2012</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Whose idea was it to leave at 11.30pm ? There I was at just half hour to midnight on
Thursday 31<sup>st</sup> May setting out from home on yet another madcap
adventure. This time we were planning to do everything on the cheap by camping
wild wherever possible and saving on hotel accommodation costs... the thinking
behind this was to give us more time away to explore our next destination....
The Balkans.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">First saving was the Channel crossing. To get a really cheap
deal we had to travel at silly o’clock in the morning so our £23 fare was
achieved by agreeing to sail at 3.20 am from Dover to Calais. We met up at the
Warwick services on the M40 just before midnight. Mark, keen as ever, had
beaten me to the rendezvous and, after a quick fill at the petrol pumps, we
were off on our sojourn. Through the dark of deepest night we rode and made
good time until we met with a flashing overhead sign on the M25 which announced
that junction 12 was closed. I kept my fingers and toes crossed that junction
12 was behind us but it wasn’t and we were unceremoniously dumped onto the M3
heading south towards Portsmouth instead of eastwards to Dover. A quick reset
of the satnav however had us popping into Chertsey & Cobham via some small
back roads and joining the M25 further along past the obstruction but now
battling to catch up our lost time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We made it to the port with 10 minutes to spare but then
Sod’s Law came into play and we were selected to go into the customs shed where
the very kind lady let us pass by answering a couple of easy questions and we
made it onto the ship just before it sailed ... Phew !!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">You would think that the 3.20am would be a ghost ship but it
was far from it with coachloads of kids on their way across the sea to some
outing or other but luckily we found a seat and just sat out the 75 minutes of excited
noise.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We were pretty much first off the boat and there was no
stopping at French immigration which meant that we were on the road to Dunkirk
in no time at all. We chose to use the
motorway system for our journey to our first campsite adjacent to the Bever Dam
near Huckswagen in Germany. We arrived on site at around 2pm and set up our
tents as it began to drizzle, had a brew and then slept for a good couple of
hours.</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtiJ3x7dZ3eRwi1OMvobOSevcV4_tFFf8DEfSlOsBWNE0bIStrCTn6wl0kmN_Bo93lyThVJ8XXlUJtXB-M_zQ6XVvrJlRNspe0ZlTupk_t_k2scRw-5rpunmNtXQtqAAcbjxJRslHyQ/s1600/Balkans+068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVtiJ3x7dZ3eRwi1OMvobOSevcV4_tFFf8DEfSlOsBWNE0bIStrCTn6wl0kmN_Bo93lyThVJ8XXlUJtXB-M_zQ6XVvrJlRNspe0ZlTupk_t_k2scRw-5rpunmNtXQtqAAcbjxJRslHyQ/s400/Balkans+068.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping near the Bever Dam, Germany</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We had agreed to meet up some other guys who use the
Adventure Bike Forum for a weekend of camping and a ride out to see the dams
attacked by the Dambusters in WWII. As the day went on the gathering swelled to
twelve of us and we rounded off the day with a meal and drinks at the campsite
bar/restaurant before hitting the sack for a good snore.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vwG_6hx5dybzWux34omTYE7V8WLTlWJ31Atsz8tIWqBO18PlX20DjDc_IeFD05exkxwTqkKm7i64ztMkALhQVzHSkv7xflsvoIx4O884VRa0WUtuFiN1iDsDWnN6AtDuGKIWfkeBwg/s1600/Balkans+069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-vwG_6hx5dybzWux34omTYE7V8WLTlWJ31Atsz8tIWqBO18PlX20DjDc_IeFD05exkxwTqkKm7i64ztMkALhQVzHSkv7xflsvoIx4O884VRa0WUtuFiN1iDsDWnN6AtDuGKIWfkeBwg/s400/Balkans+069.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPk3wQopWmhycwzQJfP43iPoJQ8_W6yDEZYyqftSjAF-fDJaNYNMZOSKKABcOzUVPFpqHhPY0keXRdwrbXuyAC2y3XgHe_oMn16L_XT-QiRAUF_2LnvLkO2WyAHRpwDMM6reScc8uow/s1600/Balkans+074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPk3wQopWmhycwzQJfP43iPoJQ8_W6yDEZYyqftSjAF-fDJaNYNMZOSKKABcOzUVPFpqHhPY0keXRdwrbXuyAC2y3XgHe_oMn16L_XT-QiRAUF_2LnvLkO2WyAHRpwDMM6reScc8uow/s400/Balkans+074.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorpe Dam</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"> The following day
(Saturday 2<sup>nd</sup> June) the skies had cleared and we set off on a group
ride to see the Sorpe Dam, Eider Dam and finally, the Mohne Dam. It was a good
route and we had a thoroughly good day out but the evening get together at the
bar was a bit more subdued as many of the guys were not used to 300+ mile
journeys and they were a little tired to say the least. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Most of the guys left the site on Sunday morning just as Ken
from the Stafford area arrived. The rain set in and me and Mark just stayed in
our tents talking and sleeping throughout the day before meeting up with Ken for
drinks and a bite to eat in the evening. Ken didn’t mind that he had missed the
meet as he said that he liked solo travel and his own company. On Monday Ken
stayed to do his own tour of the dams as we took advantage of the improving
weather to pack up and move on. This time we were on our way to Kirschlengen to
stay with Mark’s uncle Leonard and also to see Mark’s son, Ian, who is
stationed at the nearby army base in Gutersloh.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">When we arrived we discovered that we were not actually
staying with Len but rather at the house of his good friend, Doris, who was
away on holiday but coming back soon but he was not sure on what day. We later
discovered that Len had not asked Doris
and she was not aware that we were now living in her house ! </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">We eventually got to pick Ian up from the local train station
(I say eventually because, in true Ian style, he got on the wrong train at
first and was hurtling in totally the wrong direction until a kindly, but confused, ticket inspector got him sorted)
and we all headed to the local Kartoffelhausen – potato restaurant – where we
filled out boots and washed it all down with some local beer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday morning (5<sup>th</sup> June) saw Len knocking on
the door to take us out for breakfast and a visit to the local supermarket to
stock up with some pasta for the next batch of camping later in the week. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Len
took Ian back to the army base whilst me and Mark fettled, farkled and repacked
the bikes. When Len returned we went into a nearby town and had a Chinese meal
but not before Mark made Len telephone Doris to make sure that she was OK with
us staying at her house. She was OK with it all and she was not coming back
home until Friday – we would be away by Thursday morning so everyone was happy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJziav8fadsoWz-57U3NVnpfavGGiclzKYpftpSxhc4PKyfk7iXAg3lBysT_8WE_QT6tl4nepT5QwWgBQ8CqN3R8TvFq8O_pizydhY6cCiEFHrGZ8l7NdgOrAxOjvZzvBjJgalam0gkA/s1600/Balkans+089.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJziav8fadsoWz-57U3NVnpfavGGiclzKYpftpSxhc4PKyfk7iXAg3lBysT_8WE_QT6tl4nepT5QwWgBQ8CqN3R8TvFq8O_pizydhY6cCiEFHrGZ8l7NdgOrAxOjvZzvBjJgalam0gkA/s400/Balkans+089.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fettling & Farkling at Doris's House</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-62103095411797455752012-03-14T06:49:00.001-07:002012-03-14T06:49:25.859-07:00What Goes Around Comes Around........<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday of last week we had a visitor.... Jun Young Jang better known to his friends as Neo. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Neo is from South Korea and his pal, Seoul Joe, asked on the Horizons Unlimited website if any travellers in the UK had any spare biking/camping kit to donate to Neo to help in his quest to ride his motorbike back home from UK.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">When we were in Vladivostok last year we were very close to South Korea so me and Mark decided to throw out a lifeline. Neo travelled up to see us and we kitted him out with enough stuff to get him well on his way. We then took the opportunity to show him around our local tourist towns of Stratford-upon-Avon and he ended up next to Ted Simon's "Jupiters Travels" Triumph Bonneville in the Coventry motor museum.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We will be meeting up with Neo next month for a ride out just before he sets his compass towards the east and home.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oNheUpMqtf5Uay58z5gUpO-vCjPIUu51CwIGAVsAYerwHINzST3LYz6NRUyV62w8YpRvgqSJwYi1AzUZzxoEI6yfDlseWVOLqSX9A76Fstm2S5oOFLHnMyB7u8xq0l2yZZP04bFxPw/s1600/P3060034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4oNheUpMqtf5Uay58z5gUpO-vCjPIUu51CwIGAVsAYerwHINzST3LYz6NRUyV62w8YpRvgqSJwYi1AzUZzxoEI6yfDlseWVOLqSX9A76Fstm2S5oOFLHnMyB7u8xq0l2yZZP04bFxPw/s400/P3060034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo & Imogen (our 3 yr old grandaughter) at the Curry house</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbXkm8ZUMQCckKB6uUfyiPdKZJ4nu_bhHlJkeKokelbwzBRlOVN-sQhyphenhyphendAzZVTMncg-mkuKSWmTAP7zT_vONzx8lTlF5KSJr1GINuY1d0lTkuU7a3pV5CnyWnzvWNXaGwaGf1ga81Gg/s1600/neo+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbXkm8ZUMQCckKB6uUfyiPdKZJ4nu_bhHlJkeKokelbwzBRlOVN-sQhyphenhyphendAzZVTMncg-mkuKSWmTAP7zT_vONzx8lTlF5KSJr1GINuY1d0lTkuU7a3pV5CnyWnzvWNXaGwaGf1ga81Gg/s400/neo+014.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo outside Shakespeare's Birthplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfoLSC0r_3sgbpMsWZ6IQINchjkHJYN5dYWUxaD8TvYsYYvcZHyxAw0kPhEd123W0OBcgu3yoAHo3PrruvtcFY6y7y6e0_748u6D1th1ZlviRcFg1Bc0G1vsyAFmQYoAv8_UY3WOMYQ/s1600/neo+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIfoLSC0r_3sgbpMsWZ6IQINchjkHJYN5dYWUxaD8TvYsYYvcZHyxAw0kPhEd123W0OBcgu3yoAHo3PrruvtcFY6y7y6e0_748u6D1th1ZlviRcFg1Bc0G1vsyAFmQYoAv8_UY3WOMYQ/s400/neo+015.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neo with Ted Simon's Triumph at Coventry museum</td></tr>
</tbody></table>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-66726328094411891802012-02-18T11:38:00.000-08:002012-02-20T16:24:16.085-08:00From Russia With Love<span style="font-size: large;">We have had a busy week !</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We went to Stansted airport on Monday morning (early !) to pick up Svetlana from Vladivostok who came to stay with us until her return last night. Sveta helped us a lot in Vladivostok when she was working for our customs agent, Yuri, and it was our opportunity to repay the kindness.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSaeSycPa-UajgPIg1mM9a0quX1lnQaBV3KnuyMOpOdBJbEispO_sgz_Z7oIlBKnv1-RTUcN-1_scjtyPGv0U6KIp6tybl_Yp9k0WAyj9HytfBGzuS5h9nDL-s6sTDz_bHhTxCyyVng/s1600/Sveta+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSaeSycPa-UajgPIg1mM9a0quX1lnQaBV3KnuyMOpOdBJbEispO_sgz_Z7oIlBKnv1-RTUcN-1_scjtyPGv0U6KIp6tybl_Yp9k0WAyj9HytfBGzuS5h9nDL-s6sTDz_bHhTxCyyVng/s400/Sveta+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Svetlana arriving at Stansted airport<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Sveta left Vladivostok in October and has been studying at university in Germany but, having now finished her course, is due to fly back to Vlad next week, so what did we do this week ?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We got back from Stansted airport around midday on Monday so we went into our local tourist town of Stratford-upon-Avon where we saw the sights including both Shakespeare's birthplace and his grave. A walk by the river and the world famous RSC theatre and visits to the souvenir shops rounded off the afternoon.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTMfNKAFuTg7lY0_g0C1sMt5BN9IZju9_BtijKbS0GGdxTUiL2hV3_uLniAGQyzsxoM9CxQ1vy58ZuhTlsoToZzzdgNwFrbg4OiBoL7OVzG8RyXQijmxjfe5-HUAZSaRf574u3B9jH2A/s400/Sveta+006.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the Pub</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1AelFsVmfWmBdalDveFEbk1MtOO9deDmDLHO5SZIeIQHR0ea-ZyNyrjAPwLkFc6H6u2tOYcyCDk_EN9DY-SHbRw5JdWpqm-q65O9uOINHyydd1mIJ51VLJn0LhN7IiFJapBJmdQkTg/s1600/Sveta+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR1AelFsVmfWmBdalDveFEbk1MtOO9deDmDLHO5SZIeIQHR0ea-ZyNyrjAPwLkFc6H6u2tOYcyCDk_EN9DY-SHbRw5JdWpqm-q65O9uOINHyydd1mIJ51VLJn0LhN7IiFJapBJmdQkTg/s400/Sveta+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sveta at Shakespeare's Birthplace</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9waJewGerdkRD2Yuj2YXdBdSHDLVWSXN7W7fTLA6GLEojf-1hImrVU1sl2GJM8JBwlhvyh3i-oFvdPo7EI0Nnxuzxap-MSa7yf7I5aAG6VGDeiq8QxxdLnMwthOWJPzRBdwydeFZ7mQ/s1600/Sveta+039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9waJewGerdkRD2Yuj2YXdBdSHDLVWSXN7W7fTLA6GLEojf-1hImrVU1sl2GJM8JBwlhvyh3i-oFvdPo7EI0Nnxuzxap-MSa7yf7I5aAG6VGDeiq8QxxdLnMwthOWJPzRBdwydeFZ7mQ/s400/Sveta+039.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shakespeare's grave at Holy Trinity Church</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday was the big day. We took Sveta to London to see all the main sights and managed to squeeze quite a lot into the day before our legs gave out but not before yet more visits to souvenir shops !</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-inB2zcPoxUBQMqcFwtHfyEG4ffqDJnEgdc-3ea2WyUPRsaY8RXdTNO1v-5gznXHQinAi1HelXWWu6ISOxhP1WuVGCkDL9UGjMSUnU47TpDLfN3tGc0FMiZSDArbydfiMsxyLfIoSGA/s640/DSCN2091.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Ben, a London Bus and a Phone Box all in one shot !<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin614hI4nXBzZiyye2xo3rqLcHQWYaSpMuOid1oO0Ze5Sm9aQazvn_x9TsoHNadWlKMvC5Ys3GbMBeOfL2O-b4NPhBFlFSLDMYhyd265RLj9918hF-fSH4vHV7SXFPJnmHWn0KCY0wXw/s1600/DSCN2052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin614hI4nXBzZiyye2xo3rqLcHQWYaSpMuOid1oO0Ze5Sm9aQazvn_x9TsoHNadWlKMvC5Ys3GbMBeOfL2O-b4NPhBFlFSLDMYhyd265RLj9918hF-fSH4vHV7SXFPJnmHWn0KCY0wXw/s400/DSCN2052.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tower Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday was shopping with the girls. (No pictures because surprise, surprise, I didn't go)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thursday was a visit to Oxford, the city of spires, and a detour on the way home through the pretty cotswold village of Broadway and back home in time to go out in the evening for a meal with all the family at a restaurant in Stratford-upon-Avon.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhvwqd1xER5eQ96jPoK7ehDKgNfbMgVyB221z3CuhjEIAM5AYqMEqhpWGtIwvE6kXBdJEOrFYmIdEtmBynSQSjb0qBUvd7N9vkrjt96ic6-pm9bE3xqxUzo87U8L7RG-6EkLWcM7pcQ/s1600/DSCN2166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbhvwqd1xER5eQ96jPoK7ehDKgNfbMgVyB221z3CuhjEIAM5AYqMEqhpWGtIwvE6kXBdJEOrFYmIdEtmBynSQSjb0qBUvd7N9vkrjt96ic6-pm9bE3xqxUzo87U8L7RG-6EkLWcM7pcQ/s400/DSCN2166.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sveta in OXFORD</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Friday was going home day so we set off mid morning and headed for my cousin's house in Gamlingay where we had a wonderful lunch (thanks Pam & Paul) before heading off to nearby Cambridge to finish off the sightseeing. Stansted is just down the road from Cambridge and we managed to get Sveta into the terminal with plenty of time to spare.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Good time and good fun</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-74921910435174034202012-01-25T07:58:00.000-08:002012-01-25T08:01:10.673-08:002012<span style="font-size: large;">Having fattened myself up at Christmas (a lot) it is time to shed some flab in readiness for this year's trip. The original plan was to do Prudhoe Bay to Tierra Del Fuego ie top of North America to bottom of South America but my son Carl is getting married this year so that plan has been put on the back boiler.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">So me and Mark have decided to play the dice for 2012. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Bearing in mind we spent a pretty penny or two on our Round the World trip last year we are going to take on this year's trip on the cheap with plenty of rough camping. Our journey will be limited to places where we don't have to get a visa in advance but the route and what we do along the way will be dictated by the roll of a dice - if you don't get the concept then read "The Diceman" by Luke Rhinehart - see details on wiki </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dice_Man" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dice_Man</span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> but it will be more along the lines of the TV programme aired some years ago with Russell Harris & Shaun - see their website </span><a href="http://diceman.co.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">http://diceman.co.uk/</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">. This means that we could get as far east as the Iraq and Armenian borders with Turkey or Morrocco in the south Nordkapp in the north or Ireland in the west, who knows ?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> .</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We will be using the same trusty bikes as our round world trip - the BMW 1200GS simply because we can't afford to buy different ones if we're being honest. So now it's lettuce and salad for a few months - we intend to leave around 1st June - that time last year we were in Vancouver having just finished our USA section of the trip and our bikes were on the Pacific Ocean headed for Vladivostok.........</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-80615299627900964752011-11-23T01:02:00.000-08:002011-11-23T01:02:02.796-08:00Doesn't Time Fly..<span style="font-size: large;">Wednesday 23rd November 2011</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">It only seems like yesterday that we arrived in Spain and here we are homeward bound. We settled last night in the hotel Real Monasterio de San Zoilo in Carrion de Los Condes which sits on the El Camino route to Santiago de Compostela. Our boat does not leave until tomorrow evening from Santander so we are heading for an old favourite of ours, the parador at Cervera de Pisguera up in the Cantabrian mountains. It is only 50 miles from here so we can leave Carrion de Los Condes at lunchtime and make our way slowly on the back roads into the hills.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Looking forward to getting back home and catching up with the gossip, if any.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-17408445016609767862011-11-15T07:06:00.000-08:002011-11-23T00:55:04.352-08:00Hola !! Que Tal ?<span style="font-size: large;">After a manic couple of weeks working to cover for someone's illness I have finally managed to get away with my lovely Gina. We got Brittany ferry, Cap Finnisterre, from Portsmouth on Sunday night and arrived in Bilbao, Spain this morning. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We had prebooked a nice hotel, the parador at Lerma, and I am now busy typing this blog overlooking the fields below our fantastic room in the old 16th Century Ducal palce in the old Plaza Major which, we ae told, is to be transformed by 7.30 this evening in to a local market - something that has pleased Gina no end. She is busy now trying to find someone that she hasn't already bought a Chritmas present for in order to give her a valid excuse to go forth and spend.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We should reach Talavera de la Reina (about 100kms south west of Madrid) by tomorrow afternoon and here we will spend a good few days with friends who have invited us to the christening of their newborn baby boy. Last time we came over for their daughter's christening we ended up being Godparents and I had to give a speech in church - all unbeknown to us until we actually got into the church !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"> Looking forward to the break</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-40999607239527188072011-10-20T23:49:00.000-07:002011-10-20T23:49:18.294-07:00Rothenburg ob der Tauber<span style="font-size: large;">The site owner very kindly let us stay camped until Monday (17th October). Maura busied herself loading her bike then she set off bound for her home in Northern Italy - it was good to catch up with her again. Almost all others had left by Sunday morning leaving just a handful of folks to help take down the marquee and generally tidy up. By Sunday night there was only me and Mark and one other, Al from Australia, and we had a few drinks in the bar and then hit the sack.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By the time we got up next morning Al had packed up his stuff and was ready to leave. We said our goodbyes to him and, not before I had taken advantage of the site's COLD shower facility, we set about the always unpleasant task of taking down tents and packing the bike ready fro the next part of the journey. Jens, the meeting organiser, had suggested that we head for Rothenburg ob der Tauber citing it as one of the prettiest towns in Germany so we simply had to pay a visit.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We set out around 10am and made our way on the back roads (dry thankfully) and arrived in Rothenburg, a walled medieval town, at around 3pm. We rode through the town gates on cobbled roads and found ourselves a hotel not too far from the Rathaus (Town Hall) and checked in for a couple of nights. It was so nice to have a hot shower and a good meal in the hotel restaurant. The town itself is indeed a pretty place and home of several Christmas shops which will please my wife, Gina, no end.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Suitably rested we left Rothenburg on Tuesday morning and, as it was raining, we gave up any notion of riding the back roads and just hit the nearby motorway which took us all the way to Essen and to our pre-booked hotel in the Bredeney area of the city suburbs. We sent a message to Svetlana saying we had arrived and in no time at all she met us at the tram station opposite her dormitory.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The last time we had seen Sveta was when we left Vladivostok in early July and it was so nice to meet up again and we just had a meal and chatted for a few hours before it was time to say goodbye again. We made sure that she got a taxi back to her dormitory and then had a nightcap and retired for the day.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Thursday morning (20th October) was dry and we set out on our 550 km ride to Berlin which we achieved in good time until we hit a huge traffic jam some 20kms long near Magdeburg which added a good hour or so to our journey. We arrived at John's apartment in Steglitts at around 5pm and a welcome hot coffee soon had us back on track !</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHRpjTOhHqFSeGtYZhD6La5RYvM_R3yzMWwZeUZxdNjyHn1zJpuNCZaVOHQJopn4P247kLwSM3hAuNx04fLlIki0aTfMGpJibiOWdVFjuDabDkNkgb2DifiVeB5T2p_3Jtfwz-F1WSQ/s1600/Germany+2011+205.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHRpjTOhHqFSeGtYZhD6La5RYvM_R3yzMWwZeUZxdNjyHn1zJpuNCZaVOHQJopn4P247kLwSM3hAuNx04fLlIki0aTfMGpJibiOWdVFjuDabDkNkgb2DifiVeB5T2p_3Jtfwz-F1WSQ/s400/Germany+2011+205.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Town Square</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezKOzcZxcaUepWi0cxwQ3ExPg8RX3kYbXSw0mq35o0yrQdC4P6vmKOXrGhIgawLwBHXZ3FCW-jltGSMVqhtqFFWG4SWQOBeyH6a9e_hAbCReAQvCGt8mBM0fvzDXQyXP4o64VMavjhQ/s1600/Germany+2011+222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiezKOzcZxcaUepWi0cxwQ3ExPg8RX3kYbXSw0mq35o0yrQdC4P6vmKOXrGhIgawLwBHXZ3FCW-jltGSMVqhtqFFWG4SWQOBeyH6a9e_hAbCReAQvCGt8mBM0fvzDXQyXP4o64VMavjhQ/s400/Germany+2011+222.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5X35fkuCNc9VMMM8kc5Y8KMn_nN8oaW1q5xYJbuioh8L3sbUNi1bLrQlGHU67B_7mH2VBtXslgvKspRnhOhnIorR7TYaXEHjhKA3P4_Dj4RZXbfSkdZdq3Mu6ZukL96jPo5coekirA/s1600/Germany+2011+225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5X35fkuCNc9VMMM8kc5Y8KMn_nN8oaW1q5xYJbuioh8L3sbUNi1bLrQlGHU67B_7mH2VBtXslgvKspRnhOhnIorR7TYaXEHjhKA3P4_Dj4RZXbfSkdZdq3Mu6ZukL96jPo5coekirA/s400/Germany+2011+225.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuupNPiEoy97S7jPEqG8iDLB-XkQlN-NzCOE_kby40A8mG2JqaehI-VD5ILQMrbYOW7Ox95Vgqk-YGeMAqGBYWyShVAXSgL42O71GpcRpQm34iSudDMQ-Y72CJ3t5ffP541mwaWmRz0A/s1600/Germany+2011+241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuupNPiEoy97S7jPEqG8iDLB-XkQlN-NzCOE_kby40A8mG2JqaehI-VD5ILQMrbYOW7Ox95Vgqk-YGeMAqGBYWyShVAXSgL42O71GpcRpQm34iSudDMQ-Y72CJ3t5ffP541mwaWmRz0A/s400/Germany+2011+241.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwpMK1vgCcItg4ONRibrCNmlddXpJLXZ2cpz-fnhLOK10t57eC65a7N4KsB-mOozGHWsRiO-G2iZXecvlpJBc7d75CoSwiIIHyXNyMH8QWXBAvjbmfyn4bXNjWMAKANQF2fo3Jbzvxg/s1600/Germany+2011+258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRwpMK1vgCcItg4ONRibrCNmlddXpJLXZ2cpz-fnhLOK10t57eC65a7N4KsB-mOozGHWsRiO-G2iZXecvlpJBc7d75CoSwiIIHyXNyMH8QWXBAvjbmfyn4bXNjWMAKANQF2fo3Jbzvxg/s400/Germany+2011+258.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1ojWqyVHfiQahq_QhgavLYJwF5GQ-MTe5cw0E48uKifT781AhW9-HPMssgWOdh-_rfg6XbiILcgTm-sI_PA7LIXLiCdXdquSuwWSU1p_ZLRSkbC2V-SjvE-I0o_hhYI3Ltztm0mlYw/s1600/Germany+2011+259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS1ojWqyVHfiQahq_QhgavLYJwF5GQ-MTe5cw0E48uKifT781AhW9-HPMssgWOdh-_rfg6XbiILcgTm-sI_PA7LIXLiCdXdquSuwWSU1p_ZLRSkbC2V-SjvE-I0o_hhYI3Ltztm0mlYw/s400/Germany+2011+259.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-50469883937683098752011-10-20T23:21:00.000-07:002011-10-20T23:21:39.888-07:00More Pictures from OdenwaldFinally mananged to get some wi-fi to download some more pictures from our camping at the Horizons Unlimited meeting in Ober-Liebersbach.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFohp2KzYTkHnPV24WVX1WMF4cTvRkP3ytlaIjOdBa-H25XWzB70Msw_E8z4rUaFA92Hu0RdBoJwbUZl2-CjLqyFUyIT5veLT9RQ4KdJpO7Vhx-CUW149mFUyRr7pIKfviGb3jes8QyQ/s1600/Germany+2011+150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFohp2KzYTkHnPV24WVX1WMF4cTvRkP3ytlaIjOdBa-H25XWzB70Msw_E8z4rUaFA92Hu0RdBoJwbUZl2-CjLqyFUyIT5veLT9RQ4KdJpO7Vhx-CUW149mFUyRr7pIKfviGb3jes8QyQ/s400/Germany+2011+150.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding alongside the Rhine from Koblenz</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhiHCWrw3XrDs6A-ezM6kutDMcFI77pNYg8QwKENlbJ20stbuD7MHgNoj8chmYpOll1G3qyYXaNfeiJGTazWpZifimGGCVyrUOcXi-nZhzfG-uiJLCaThzJrQJFkFW5x-SSAzlA2_yg/s1600/Germany+2011+165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUhiHCWrw3XrDs6A-ezM6kutDMcFI77pNYg8QwKENlbJ20stbuD7MHgNoj8chmYpOll1G3qyYXaNfeiJGTazWpZifimGGCVyrUOcXi-nZhzfG-uiJLCaThzJrQJFkFW5x-SSAzlA2_yg/s400/Germany+2011+165.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fully chromed BMW cruiser we spotted</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqmwfV4Hi95daLPEYlS6km2s9xzDnYXTL6gLx40ybfZ4_NBd4oQIjBi_FSPS6xvY8q0GmNSzSzYJLXL_MOU9S_rhyHE1oe9yo1GNm4Km6__HjhA-19pp20WB2UnJVEiCQn_2NZDrP7A/s1600/Germany+2011+167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQqmwfV4Hi95daLPEYlS6km2s9xzDnYXTL6gLx40ybfZ4_NBd4oQIjBi_FSPS6xvY8q0GmNSzSzYJLXL_MOU9S_rhyHE1oe9yo1GNm4Km6__HjhA-19pp20WB2UnJVEiCQn_2NZDrP7A/s400/Germany+2011+167.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark gets his bike serviced at the BMW dealer in Heppenheim</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6oDEkAryO53MuDb5kha_t0cWW4ioogcnluWgUt2oGzq0n82vpYN2UQPC8hTPe0gbTIm1yYJR2EcyZ-VMy9GkeshUfeORIMLuOjvrPNRtYjELFFk0xK33TXRTXcMZf4-f7GOFAkpd7w/s1600/Germany+2011+170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6oDEkAryO53MuDb5kha_t0cWW4ioogcnluWgUt2oGzq0n82vpYN2UQPC8hTPe0gbTIm1yYJR2EcyZ-VMy9GkeshUfeORIMLuOjvrPNRtYjELFFk0xK33TXRTXcMZf4-f7GOFAkpd7w/s400/Germany+2011+170.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maura in full dress to avoid the cold</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREPPyGzOn-pLAXlme9u3Y8nRUg7JzhClVPHz2vjcgQXH8xBZtZUeeZR1CwI_PoOSWAcbPZo6c8hIzoOWy4CQghUsfVfDIhY_34Kz2ru4l6sLOK_DaScq_xDVSPPscEMqVewx9oUNrNg/s1600/Germany+2011+172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjREPPyGzOn-pLAXlme9u3Y8nRUg7JzhClVPHz2vjcgQXH8xBZtZUeeZR1CwI_PoOSWAcbPZo6c8hIzoOWy4CQghUsfVfDIhY_34Kz2ru4l6sLOK_DaScq_xDVSPPscEMqVewx9oUNrNg/s400/Germany+2011+172.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark & Maura much warmer in the restaurant</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6ScwarJtZQQ3zHVqLBebSg6hBg5uxaM1xEVfulnF5D9zLuRUTrqiHZSXrRQHDmguCzp0DWHcJojbHZuyAzTl6HsVi6zhmvEKwFelir30ETSWqKI-72l-t9Kd5RL6GeJtNEhrbTDrGA/s1600/Germany+2011+183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF6ScwarJtZQQ3zHVqLBebSg6hBg5uxaM1xEVfulnF5D9zLuRUTrqiHZSXrRQHDmguCzp0DWHcJojbHZuyAzTl6HsVi6zhmvEKwFelir30ETSWqKI-72l-t9Kd5RL6GeJtNEhrbTDrGA/s400/Germany+2011+183.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campsite with our (snoring) tents away from the crowd</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe76blyyWro7wzbx9R1SFyDP5SjtkeDLoDVsbosgNZF99q-1G_3NPFMWRMdQYbiYlIhocDV34zYZk7DlTirhL8OyHOkZ2gEvzKa190wkexb47mD_8xWIRu4TTO_R4JxVY7HrIy_zlKg/s1600/Germany+2011+185.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe76blyyWro7wzbx9R1SFyDP5SjtkeDLoDVsbosgNZF99q-1G_3NPFMWRMdQYbiYlIhocDV34zYZk7DlTirhL8OyHOkZ2gEvzKa190wkexb47mD_8xWIRu4TTO_R4JxVY7HrIy_zlKg/s400/Germany+2011+185.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Resturant on site</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DqrbNC_aoB_i2E017CnBpIY25yQ9nqBuv4uU3BvgCb-tA-rppZY-RxvSVeStcynW728AA5m2PnyyBmt7gswPO5uPFYe30UiY5vEiUQmCz1Rclh2njZOQmxUEYYEz8vcgPyxmBfWG5g/s1600/Germany+2011+189.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-DqrbNC_aoB_i2E017CnBpIY25yQ9nqBuv4uU3BvgCb-tA-rppZY-RxvSVeStcynW728AA5m2PnyyBmt7gswPO5uPFYe30UiY5vEiUQmCz1Rclh2njZOQmxUEYYEz8vcgPyxmBfWG5g/s400/Germany+2011+189.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a 5 minute walk from our tents</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBGE6beVkSrekCwRGabaA1kejqrl67dMQ9sdsNnNT2TRjtXXc0YXOf2hWTNBya3O2zKKPK95ddabphkh8DfseBfY4rEookMzVJyBABZHCx1hGTVA6_6dN8Q_p_P4NXU_7aKo6ZXLpcQ/s1600/Germany+2011+191.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsBGE6beVkSrekCwRGabaA1kejqrl67dMQ9sdsNnNT2TRjtXXc0YXOf2hWTNBya3O2zKKPK95ddabphkh8DfseBfY4rEookMzVJyBABZHCx1hGTVA6_6dN8Q_p_P4NXU_7aKo6ZXLpcQ/s400/Germany+2011+191.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark & Maura - on a walk to get some exercise</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fRuY9iS05vJP2K5lYrJ416UB7dQrT5hSWYsKiyh6PIfEK-YfNKViW-XaiAI8KDoZn9Uu1jqX_YFNEsDlZ-H3EMLDE7a6sHnf8kzzdcu7Ca578I0LHONC89gS7vtSqmAo_K3A_c7RXA/s1600/Germany+2011+201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-fRuY9iS05vJP2K5lYrJ416UB7dQrT5hSWYsKiyh6PIfEK-YfNKViW-XaiAI8KDoZn9Uu1jqX_YFNEsDlZ-H3EMLDE7a6sHnf8kzzdcu7Ca578I0LHONC89gS7vtSqmAo_K3A_c7RXA/s400/Germany+2011+201.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jens, the meeting organiser, shows how to fix a puncture</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-61530589817145622802011-10-18T05:19:00.000-07:002011-10-18T05:25:01.834-07:00Odenwald<span style="font-size: large;">We had a fantastic weekend in Ober-Liebersbach in the Odenwald area of Germany (just north of Heidelberg). No rain - just blue sky and sunshine (good for the daytime but bloody cold at night, there was even frost on the bike one night !). Met lots of old friends and also made some new ones too. Maura made it all the way from Italy and, despite my snoring, she camped next to our tents and captured us sat around the camp stove.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSGvziEHhHUQry-dZwa0DvhfgkXhDQy7CbJdIu6_eFfIBhgat35yqOn-dU30lHAl9yR1r94tUoLBLo8qcQO4SgCWOklTtdjGrn702_W-1Sw_ZvHSybkIJOUuIDYUhhI8MAud2wzXrHg/s1600/Odenwald.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLSGvziEHhHUQry-dZwa0DvhfgkXhDQy7CbJdIu6_eFfIBhgat35yqOn-dU30lHAl9yR1r94tUoLBLo8qcQO4SgCWOklTtdjGrn702_W-1Sw_ZvHSybkIJOUuIDYUhhI8MAud2wzXrHg/s400/Odenwald.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We left on Monday morning (17th October) and on the advice of Jens (the bike meeting organiser) we are now staying in the walled city of Rothenberg ob der Tauber which is an old medieval city looking like a setting from a Hammer House of Horrors film.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq848egFvreOxjYKsOJrfjHuVsRzMiNDGNZmVdTJnfCpJq_AMZps76njvk-_3AiUFTgrzzKjeHUfdDtaqDt07O7PKmc1IsD7GTclJhPDMozKRHR3e11vXiK3F-FXgKlb6slXJG_N5_aA/s1600/rothenburg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq848egFvreOxjYKsOJrfjHuVsRzMiNDGNZmVdTJnfCpJq_AMZps76njvk-_3AiUFTgrzzKjeHUfdDtaqDt07O7PKmc1IsD7GTclJhPDMozKRHR3e11vXiK3F-FXgKlb6slXJG_N5_aA/s400/rothenburg.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Went to the famous Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop and bought Gina some more bits for her tree - I know that I will have to bring her back here, she will absolutely love it.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtqpOmMOkvT2lSV9TNLjqhbNOtOCpVEXBaEO7rng4vMfPBo18duuYg01kaHD6YZtGXIb5UDIJy07kRXzMIQFmALEHMDRL5HwOvSgebJMHRuYx2znE9y7QkAriUCHbNvtafVdJzZ5GeA/s1600/xmastree.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtqpOmMOkvT2lSV9TNLjqhbNOtOCpVEXBaEO7rng4vMfPBo18duuYg01kaHD6YZtGXIb5UDIJy07kRXzMIQFmALEHMDRL5HwOvSgebJMHRuYx2znE9y7QkAriUCHbNvtafVdJzZ5GeA/s400/xmastree.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the Christmas Shop</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Tomorrow will have to be an earlyish start so that we can make the 420km ride to Essen and be ready in time to take Svetlana out for a meal in the evening. The only cloud on the horizon IS a cloud on the horizon that looks like bringing heavy rain for our trip to Berlin - never mind...</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-16561287497790793302011-10-11T12:51:00.000-07:002011-10-11T13:48:13.410-07:00On My Way<span style="font-size: large;">Tuesday 11th October 2011 </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">I set off from the Midlands at around 1 o'clock and went on the back roads to Banbury taking in EdgeHill, home of a famous battlefield in the English Civil War, and then onto the motorway network which delivered me not only safely but (surpisingly !) dry to my hotel in Folkestone. The chunnel booking is for tomorrow morning and Matk was to have met me here for the onward journey but circumstances have dictated that we shall not meet now until we get to our hotel tomorrow night in Koblenz. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We are hoping to get to the Horizons meet in Ober-Leibersbach in the Odenwald area some time Thursday afternoon which will give us a chance to get the tents up in the light before we settle down with a good bottle of Irish Whiskey.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Good news also from Jens, the meeting organiser as it seems that, as with last year, we shall have a repeat of the good weather that made last year's experience so enjoyable.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Lrt's hope that the trip to Koblenz tomorrow remains dry ! </span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-15265775852116983972011-10-09T12:48:00.000-07:002011-10-09T12:48:50.604-07:00Off on a Short Trip<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Me and Mark are heading off into the sun again but only for a couple of weeks. The annual autumn German Horizons Unlimited meeting for people with wanderlust is taking place in the Odenwald area which, for those with limited Germanic geography knowledge, is somewhere between Frankfurt and Heidelberg. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">The really good news is that we are meeting up with our dear Italian friend Maura who we met last year at the Italian Horizons meeting near Lago Di Idro and she has been away for several months in Australia and New Zealand. We also expect to meet up with a few other travellers that we have met over the years and all that (plus a good bottle of Scotch) will make up for having to camp in a field.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Another great bit of news is that Svetlana is now studying at Essen university and we will be stopping by to spend a few hours with her as well. Svetlana first came into the picture in Vladivostok when she was introduced to us by Yuri Melnikov and the two of them proved to be great friends and an asset in helping us get through the vagaries of the Russian custom processes.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">After Essen we hope to take a hike up to Berlin to spend a bit of time with Mark's father-in-law who works for Rolls Royce in their Berlin plant - a</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"> busy fortnight ahead !</span>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-22044271945242717302011-09-17T15:38:00.000-07:002011-10-09T12:49:45.507-07:00What Now ?It is now over a month since we got back and, not only have I had my 54th birthday, I have had time to reflect and consider the way forward. <br />
<br />
Firstly, a major event has helped - I sold the shares in my business and am now semi-retired and have now sufficient funds for me and Gina to really enjoy the next few years devoid of mortgages on our properties.<br />
<br />
The most repeated question I now get asked is "where next then ?". The great plan was to make the Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to Ushaia (North to South America) but my son, Carl, is getting married in September 2012 so timings would make this trip a non starter for me and I would much rather see Carl get hitched anyway. Maybe 2013 would be a good year to undertake that trip.<br />
<br />
Someone else has mentioned a month away in South Africa in January which appeals to me a lot but not before I get a chance to take Gina away so that we can really get some quality time to ourselves.<br />
<br />
Exciting times.......................strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-90398908738391881712011-08-19T12:39:00.000-07:002011-08-19T12:39:03.864-07:00Homeward Bound<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Day 133<span> </span>Thursday 11<sup>th</sup> August 2011<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Well, here it is. Our last day, 133 days since we left England and we are now at the very point of setting foot on English soil again (or in our case putting our tyres back on English asphalt). A kind of mixed emotion hit me as we set off through Dunkirk town back to the motorway. No more searching for hotels each day, no more border crossings, no more packing and repacking the bike each day. I was really looking forward to seeing Gina, the kids, mum and granddaughter Immy. It had been a long time away from home and I kept daydreaming about the long straight section of road leading out of Stratford-upon-Avon to my home in Alcester and I could picture myself riding along it with only a few minutes before I would reach home. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">However, before any of that we had to conquer the 200 or so miles from Calais. The first hurdle was at Eurotunnel. The robbing bastards....... <span> </span>I pulled up and asked for two tickets – 110 euros each for a crossing that if booked online would normally cost no more than 40 euros. <i><span> </span></i>This was the final straw for me and Eurotunnel. Having been robbed of a refund of a crossing not taken last October (£66 lost) and now them asking us for over £100 more than the crossing should cost then they can go stuff themselves – it will be the ferry for me next time. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Still reeling from the sting of paying through the nose for the crossing we waited to board and had a coffee. The crossing was swift enough and we were soon discharged onto the M20 for the final ride of this trip. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sI5q4dn7MrCcty_ZRko7n1qSLd9MoIDmlqm4ITVFSEfSnQT2hcWCLRm0VO45OiQOTSo37Tb8tQiLkHRHm2w1wlrbw-JKM7cWJ_PXDSwMGRX6HcKH0iyMJHsKJliafrBi99E8rQwhcQ/s1600/Pics+133+11+Aug+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0sI5q4dn7MrCcty_ZRko7n1qSLd9MoIDmlqm4ITVFSEfSnQT2hcWCLRm0VO45OiQOTSo37Tb8tQiLkHRHm2w1wlrbw-JKM7cWJ_PXDSwMGRX6HcKH0iyMJHsKJliafrBi99E8rQwhcQ/s400/Pics+133+11+Aug+001.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0Y-8rHEIMdi3teb7QpxcgBZDgyc1fKy5ECKtK2kxdDyV4Hhs3zFRmqagxzEJyzswXfo3DTWIuNUHFquWHD7n6FOFoLpMXvitSaoPinIo-aX0zyJiocQmoFDohAuOma2AvYgVi0vCTw/s1600/Pics+133+11+Aug+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ0Y-8rHEIMdi3teb7QpxcgBZDgyc1fKy5ECKtK2kxdDyV4Hhs3zFRmqagxzEJyzswXfo3DTWIuNUHFquWHD7n6FOFoLpMXvitSaoPinIo-aX0zyJiocQmoFDohAuOma2AvYgVi0vCTw/s400/Pics+133+11+Aug+007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark waits patiently by his horse</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Mark had said that this last bit would go very quickly and he was so right. By 10.30am we had reached the Longbridge roundabout where Mark waved his goodbye as he headed north up the A46 towards Coventry and went in the opposite direction towards Stratford-upon-Avon. A real happy/sad moment all bundled together. Our joint sojourn was now over and this final leg was on my own. Only a few miles left. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I reached the head of the road outside Stratford that I had daydreamed about earlier and it was everything that I had wanted it to be, an empty road and a tear in my eye but happy to be minutes away from a welcoming kiss and cuddle from Gina.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading my blog – I may add some more bits later especially a reflection on the trip as a whole. Maybe things that we took and didn’t need, things we wished we had taken and tips for any other travellers that may be useful but first I want to get back into the swing of things.</span></div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-58522461009621118052011-08-19T12:33:00.000-07:002011-08-19T12:33:39.404-07:00Five Countries in one Day<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Day 132 Wednesday 10<sup>th</sup> August 2011 </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Mark took advantage of a strong coffee from the bar before we left Linz in what was now a nice clear day – the rain had gone and we were to start the day riding in the dry. The aim for the day was to get as far west as possible without overdoing it so off we went.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">It was around 7.30am when we got back onto the motorway and we just put our heads down and kept going. We crossed the Danube a couple of times and we reached Germany within the hour. We headed towards Frankfurt then Cologne and by the afternoon we had entered Holland and then Belgium.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We stopped for fuel and had a discussion. It was around 6pm and I wanted to carry on to Calais and catch the Eurotunnel to make a final dash home bearing in mind that when we emerged in Folkestone we would have gained another hour. Mark on the other hand was more level headed and he put forward the suggestion that we should make the final run home tomorrow which would allow us to have a last meal together on the road and I could see that this made a lot of sense (much more sense than me arriving home tired at 11pm) so we made plans to head for Ostend or Dunkirk and look for a hotel. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We eventually landed up at the Hotel Ibis in Dunkirk town centre and after parking our bikes in the underground car park and having a shower we headed for the bar and had a couple of cold beers. Being lazy we had our last supper in the hotel restaurant and it was all very nice and relaxing as we sat there toasting ourselves and reflecting on the enormity of our journey and how well we had coped. We talked about the future – Mark was looking at top to toe of the Americas, a journey of around 19,000 miles plus the additional 5,000 miles or so to get to the starting point at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. But who knows what tomorrow brings.... I DO !!!! .......<span> </span>Going home that’s what.</span></div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-24289889377869095302011-08-09T13:05:00.000-07:002011-08-09T13:05:00.178-07:00Euroland<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Day 131 Tuesday 9<sup>th</sup> August 2011 </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Cloudy, overcast and windy was the start of this day but we were earlier than usual and had managed to get to the Hungarian border by around 9am and there were no long queues and no delays. A stop at the kiosk in the border area got us fixed up with the compulsory vignettes that allow us to ride on Hungarian roads and we managed to pay the charge by debit card so avoiding the need to find a hole in the wall to get some Hungarian Forints.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We belted off down the Hungarian motorway – we were now allowed to travel at 130kph (around 80 mph) and the extra speed soon drained our fuel. We filled up at an expensive £1.10 a litre and within around three hours we had transversed the country to the Austrian border and all this without ever having a single piece of Hungarian currency and that is way outside my normal comfort zones. There is no Hungarian/Austrian border as such, just old buildings where once stood passport control but now, being part of the Schwengen treaty, all the borders have been removed and the motorway continues. However, we had to make stop at the Shell garage just over the border to purchase Austrian vignettes for the bikes. Austria has a more sensible system and we paid 9 euros for two bikes for a 4 day window.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We nearly made it across Austria into Germany but near Linz the heavens blackened and the skies opened. We stopped at a fuel station and programmed in a nearby IBIS hotel and the faithful sat navs brought us to the door of a modern glass building which had rooms available. Everything western costs lots more money and we noticed a huge difference in the cost of hotels, the cost of fuel and the restaurant bills. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaejobyc1Zc_0UC6SU3rKobT0V1RyQaUHmXjAXayUbxKfBwLeGHu6uWOiTyw3ivIMM_rZoYoGZfB5YXGjf6WsOaQeQyxwxen5g8GX5lxxMOa5_byrSpwSWQVsApWyoGrI4-_xjNU2_Q/s1600/Pics+131+09+Aug+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiaejobyc1Zc_0UC6SU3rKobT0V1RyQaUHmXjAXayUbxKfBwLeGHu6uWOiTyw3ivIMM_rZoYoGZfB5YXGjf6WsOaQeQyxwxen5g8GX5lxxMOa5_byrSpwSWQVsApWyoGrI4-_xjNU2_Q/s400/Pics+131+09+Aug+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark Austrian Skies</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">So the plan for tomorrow is to get up early and try and make 600 miles which would leave us just 100 miles from Calais and an easy day’s ride home – so it’s a possible home by Thursday !!</span></div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-6565877289681453172011-08-08T13:41:00.000-07:002011-08-08T13:41:12.720-07:00A Day in the Mountains<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Day 130 Monday 8<sup>th</sup> August 2011<span> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We had our breakfast and got going on Route 1 towards the turn of for Route Dn7C which is the Transfaragasan. The Top Gear programme had hyped the road as the best in Europe. Yes, it was an excellent ride but I still think that Stelvio pass in Italy tops it. We said “balls” to Vlad the Impaler’s castle (Bran Castle) which wasn’t too far away for us to visit but we were sure that it would be a tourist trap and we were not here to see the commercial sites of Romania – we wanted to meet the people and see how the place ticked. It is very difficult to see Eastern Bloc influences in any of the towns or cities that we visited. Unlike Russia and Ukraine there were not many of the old square, grey Soviet style concrete tenement buildings that make up large parts of Soviet cities. </span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We were very lucky with the weather which gave us a sunny cloudless blue sky throughout the whole day and perfect riding conditions. The bikes performed well and the 90kms of the Transfaragasan were soon munched up and we had completed our self allotted task for the day. We reached the lowlands and set our sat navs up for the journey westwards towards home. We had no Romanian maps or European maps for that matter so we had to rely solely on the routes picked by our electronic friends and, as it turned out, it got us to the town of Arad just a few kilometres from the Hungarian border and where we found ourselves an expensive Best Western hotel in the centre.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCbg9D-vLe3g103W4M-40Kj1S_5fWAn-mSatiF2gXf4rdLTZP7mAUwQP0bjWCynh9iZ6k_2qENPpYxY0Hq3hTkj_NzvGXsNqrCqO8YQNxJu3RZ1PvqRq3By2m3rHQXZr9ccXiMb9_Uw/s1600/Pics+130+08+Aug+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCbg9D-vLe3g103W4M-40Kj1S_5fWAn-mSatiF2gXf4rdLTZP7mAUwQP0bjWCynh9iZ6k_2qENPpYxY0Hq3hTkj_NzvGXsNqrCqO8YQNxJu3RZ1PvqRq3By2m3rHQXZr9ccXiMb9_Uw/s400/Pics+130+08+Aug+003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beginning of DN7c - The Transfaragasan</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr1AZxb_t1LZ3DlSr2qsAvMzkWh_AqxlSFgVkPIfBFSvfvcFo3Njnxb20g_dathi4SavgJMkwtArCUfKg33Rz2t80w7MZUKRws4e_b0F06_9J_pt5oBGCY8sJpu5HaAC0COuYlfMkcA/s1600/Pics+130+08+Aug+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvr1AZxb_t1LZ3DlSr2qsAvMzkWh_AqxlSFgVkPIfBFSvfvcFo3Njnxb20g_dathi4SavgJMkwtArCUfKg33Rz2t80w7MZUKRws4e_b0F06_9J_pt5oBGCY8sJpu5HaAC0COuYlfMkcA/s400/Pics+130+08+Aug+016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And there's plenty more where that came from.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Our appointed task tomorrow is to try and get through the Hungary/Romania border early and then travel the 480 kms across Hungary to Austria and find ourselves a hotel in Euroland. This will put us just about 800 miles away from Calais and maybe just five days from now we could be home – just depends on our stamina and the reliability of the bikes which, up until now, has been perfect. There are many out there in Bikers Land who poo poo the humble BMW 1200GS and say that it is not up to the task of round the world riding – Ok we have made some modifications like heavy duty suspension but the trusty old steeds have taken us over 15,000 miles already on this journey so I have no complaints.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1miSWmny8rYOe-vpm4uHVxcGtgIryEwepiW7GEsyl4CyVZ_ksyslXktK8TlfBO63EL2y6iDLelW7fg3qyI3jhvtcAKDkgmCdMlziS8Bggb9op_4pvWTK1paflOL1eV5KXOzdudhoISA/s1600/Pics+130+08+Aug+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1miSWmny8rYOe-vpm4uHVxcGtgIryEwepiW7GEsyl4CyVZ_ksyslXktK8TlfBO63EL2y6iDLelW7fg3qyI3jhvtcAKDkgmCdMlziS8Bggb9op_4pvWTK1paflOL1eV5KXOzdudhoISA/s400/Pics+130+08+Aug+024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ah !! The open country roads, wind in your face....</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Let’s just hope they hang on for another few days and get us safely across Le Manche to Blighty !</span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]-->strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5382299365394587221.post-86131976075997890472011-08-07T21:54:00.000-07:002011-08-07T21:54:59.098-07:00Faragas - Romania<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267"> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style> <![endif]--> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Day 129 Sunday 7<sup>th</sup> August 2011</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Another day in paradise.<span> </span>So as to mirror the name of the day – Sunday was sunny and yet another blue sky wake up to. I totally confused the helpful receptionist at the Polaris Hotel. When I checked in the previous afternoon I paid extra for breakfast but when the time came in the morning I was still full from the large meal the night before so I politely refused something to eat and sat with Mark whilst he had some coffee and fruit. The perplexed receptionist could not understand why I had paid for something and not had it so I left her to perplex and loaded up the bikes ready for the off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">What a great day’s riding we had; Good road surface and a winding through the rolling hills of the Romanian countryside as we headed south towards Faragas with a couple of near misses though from oncoming cars overtaking on blind bends but all in all a truly good biking day. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz3ho7MrrNcX9xSc2DdDZF7XjwbHuCnFociM4ya02IX30OXbo2rOVBPyZOS4p7AZ0y1M3RhUoTIbJHllehn0UmEsmbZHwHGnCdTDfQiOtYU_CbBRY4ZdlYESTAte-0AzE9bNivXiPjw/s1600/Pics+129+07+Aug+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwz3ho7MrrNcX9xSc2DdDZF7XjwbHuCnFociM4ya02IX30OXbo2rOVBPyZOS4p7AZ0y1M3RhUoTIbJHllehn0UmEsmbZHwHGnCdTDfQiOtYU_CbBRY4ZdlYESTAte-0AzE9bNivXiPjw/s400/Pics+129+07+Aug+007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful riding day weather</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">Fuel has suddenly got more expensive at around £1 a litre compared with around 50p in Ukraine and 23p a litre in Russia so filling up the tank is depleting our funds much quicker and will continue to get worse the closer we get to home – how glad are we that almost all our trip (including the USA) has been done with relatively low fuel costs.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">We reached Faragas at around 4pm and found a hotel very easily – The Hotel Bulevard – on the main route 1 which passes through the town. Luckily I had enough cash (just) to pay for the room (£26) and so we had to repair to the bankomat to get some more Romanian Lei so nthat bwe could afford to eat in the restaurant later. As with last night, we ate outside again for 70 lei (about £14 including beers) and reflected on a thoroughly enjoyable day. We also decided that when we finish the Transfaragasan we would head for home and end the trip.</span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgVmUd6rZPqkYDp2Jb2IHL7VJHc5YAi46TAIu2JA_KGoTMYmuNWWtqyiFwYteLCCDqDGk45GfJr0WniCmqzZqv78SCjXf9p7IqEOvDe0kz5IwX94s52Gkq_W8f1cZxMYt-SVWcsSHkA/s1600/Pics+129a+07+Aug+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgVmUd6rZPqkYDp2Jb2IHL7VJHc5YAi46TAIu2JA_KGoTMYmuNWWtqyiFwYteLCCDqDGk45GfJr0WniCmqzZqv78SCjXf9p7IqEOvDe0kz5IwX94s52Gkq_W8f1cZxMYt-SVWcsSHkA/s400/Pics+129a+07+Aug+004.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hotel Bulevard - Faragas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv2tul3op4muuetgClJ-w3BvjEJbyrQwIK3P02V5lgcSiZDEDspal-kJb2hKgAyVecBWV_SzexQpdh8fexEdCJmpIyiiIAiyekVeu_hhp-j1dEPgs9ueLdhfxzeOMiIRHEwGdsu3P6A/s1600/Pics+129a+07+Aug+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv2tul3op4muuetgClJ-w3BvjEJbyrQwIK3P02V5lgcSiZDEDspal-kJb2hKgAyVecBWV_SzexQpdh8fexEdCJmpIyiiIAiyekVeu_hhp-j1dEPgs9ueLdhfxzeOMiIRHEwGdsu3P6A/s400/Pics+129a+07+Aug+006.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">17c Castle complete with moat - Faragas</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>strimstrumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11819047500760259734noreply@blogger.com0